Shadows of the Moon
by cheesypower
Summary: when portals open and an army pours out, not to mention a secret organization, Spyro and Cynder must seek new allies their world... and those beyond. SpyroxCynder, FlamexEmber, characters I make up are copyrighted. rate M for future content.
1. Chapter 1: Awakening

**The Shadows of the Moon**

**Chapter 1**

_The closer you get to the Light, the greater your shadow. The deepest darkness makes a light, however small, shine brightest. Do not fear the darkness, nor revere the light, for they are two manifestations of the same essence. They are always at war, but when they mix, they create a thing of beauty. Let the shadows guide you and protect you.—Sensei Otomaka, Order of the Moon Shadows._

**Awakening**

Cynder awoke to the sun shining in her face. Blinking, she rubbed her eyes and stretched. _Where am I?_,she wondered. Then, she remembered the events of three days ago.

"_You cannot defeat me! I am eternal!" Malefor roared._

_With that he let loose a beam of dark purple dragon energy. Spyro and Cynder begin to duel with their own dragon energy. Spyro and Cynder begin to tire as they strain to keep from being overpowered._

"_Just...hang...on!" Spyro said trying to keep his power up._

_Through the combination of their power Spyro and Cynder overpower Malefor and send him flying onto the crystal core of the planet. As Malefor get up and makes his way toward the two of them, five spirits of past purple dragons rise from the crystal._

"_What is this?" Malefor yelled._

_The five dragons looked a Malefor and shot into the crystal core of the planet and began to pull Malefor in._

"_Nooooo..."Malefor cried before he was pulled into the crystal._

_As Malefor died the crystal snakes that bound Spyro and Cynder together disappeared. All around them the planet began to break apart. Spyro and Cynder land on the core of the planet and look around._

"_Spyro, I am sorry. I'm so sorry." Cynder said to Spyro._

"_Don't be. It's over now."_

"_So this is it..."_

"_Spyro, when a dragon dies, he does not truly leave this world." Ignitus said in Spyro's mind. "His spirit lives on, binding itself with nature, offering hope to the future..."_

"_I know what I need to do." Spyro said to Cynder. "Just get out of here Cynder."_

"_Spyro no... You don't have to do anything. Let's just go."_

"_Where, Cynder? There'll be nothing left! The world is breaking apart. But I think I can stop it. I think I'm meant to."_

"_Then I'm with you..." Cynder said as Spyro began to release his purple dragon energy. "I love you..."_

She examined the cave that they had slept last night. Outside, the same sun that had awoken her now sent light streaming across the rolling plains of Avalar. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. _Where's Spyro? _ Looking around the cave frantically, her gaze finally landed on the purple dragon of legend. He was stretched out besides a rocky outcropping, and as she watched, he snuffled and mumbled something in his sleep. Smiling to herself, Cynder shook her head. _He's cute when he's asleep_, she thought as she walked over to him. "C'mon, sleepyhead, time to get up," she said.

Spyro mumbled.

"C'mon, Spyro," Cynder said, prodding him in the belly. "Get up!"

"Cynder…"

She looked down at Spyro. He was talking in his sleep. _Is he really dreaming about me?_, she wondered.

"Cynder we did it five times last night, I'm exhausted."

He snorted and rolled on his back, his hind leg twitching.

Cynder gaped at him, a bright red blush coming to her cheeks. _I guess he is._ The new knowledge was embarrassing, but not unwelcome. When she thought of the times she had had similar dreams of Spyro… She was glad Sparx wasn't here to make fun of the way her face had become several shades of red. So Spyro did dream about her…

_But what about when he's awake?_

Suddenly, an idea came to her. Walking over to Spyro, she gently eased herself into the sleeping dragon's embrace. She was tempted to giggle as she anticipated his reaction upon waking.

As she waited, however, she certainly didn't mind being able to breathe in his scent, to feel the steady rise and fall of his chest on her back, to feel the finely toned muscles beneath the arms that now embraced her. _I wonder if I'll ever get a chance to be this close to him when he's awake_, she wondered.

Spyro grunted, and his eyelid twitched. He was waking up. Cynder quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

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Spyro grunted again, and this time his eyelid cracked open. He grumbled at having been awoken from such a deep sleep. He was curled up against something warm and smooth. His arms absentmindedly drew the object closer to his body. He heard a sleepy grunt from the object. As he realized what he was holding, Spyro shot awake.

Leaping up with a yelp, he tripped over a rock, crashing onto his back. As he lay there he heard Cynder laughing.

Looking up, he glared at her. "What's so funny?" he demanded.

Cynder was now rolling on the ground, helpless from laughter. "Oh, the look on your face, oh…" she collapsed into more helpless laughter.

Glaring at her, Spyro suddenly pounced on her, pinning all four legs and her tail to the ground.

He grinned evilly at her. "Who's laughing now, huh?"

She grinned right back at him. "You say the most interesting things in your sleep, you know." She started to giggle as his face went pale. "What're you going to do to me? The same thing you did 'five times last night?'"

He felt his face go from drained to flush in an instant. His cheeks were a prominent cherry color as he realized what she had discovered about his dreaming habits.

"You really could, you know."

He stared down at Cynder. Was she really saying what he thought she was saying?

"Alright, you've had your fun, discovering what I dreamed about last night. Can you let it go?" he demanded.

"I'm serious."

He gaped down at her, unable to believe his ears. She gazed back up at him, their eyes locking together.

"I mean, look at me," she continued, "I'm pinned, helpless. You can do whatever you want to me. I won't be able to struggle."

He stared into her emerald eyes. Her eyes showed that she was, in fact, being serious. He seriously could not believe that Cynder, the one he had loved and, yes, lusted for, was suggesting that he…

"Cynder, I…I couldn't force something like that on you."

"You misunderstand," she said, holding the gaze, "Even if I wasn't pinned down, even if I was the one on top, you'd still be able to take me as you own."

Spyro felt as if his brain was shorting out. Was she saying…?

"…Because even then, I'd still want you to."

Shock coursed through him like a million volts of electricity. She wanted him. _She _wanted _Him_. But…

He climbed off of her, making sure not to hurt her in the process.

Cynder looked up at him, shock and disappointment racing through her. _Oh, God, He doesn't want me! I must look like a slut!_

Spyro gazed at Cynder as she slowly stood. "I know you want this. I want it to." As he said this, relief washed over Cynder, almost instantly followed by confusion. "But this isn't the right place or the right time for us to…"

"When, Spyro? When IS the right time, where is the right place? We beat Malefor, Spyro! We did it! The world is back to normal, and we can relax because the world no longer needs saving! We saved everything, Spyro!"

Spyro walked to the cave opening and looked out on the golden plains of Avalar. "Cynder, you just said why this isn't the right time or place. What if you're wrong? What if getting rid of Malefor only cut of the head of the snake? We need to make sure that the world really is safe, once and for all. And right now, I don't think either of us is ready for a family."

Cynder walked up beside him, her eyes gleaming. "Are you saying…?"

"Yes, Cynder, I am. I want to raise a family with you. I want you to be my first, my best, and my only. Right now, we wouldn't be able to be good parents. But I promise you, Cynder, someday we will settle down, and when we do, we'll raise a family together, side by side."

He looked at Cynder. Tears of joy ran down her face, tiny rivulets weaving across a face that had a look of joyous disbelief etched upon it. Suddenly, she kissed him, her mouth locking with his, their tongues exploring every inch of each other's mouths as they shared the passionate kiss.

It was several long moments before they broke the kiss, both gasping for air. They both stared at each other for a moment. Then, Cynder spoke.

"Spyro, that promise means more to me than anything in the world. Thank you."

Spyro gazed into the distance. "We better get going if we're going to make it to Warfang before nightfall."

Cynder grinned and leapt into the air. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

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A Reptilian figure built not unlike a cheetah watched as the two dragons winged their way toward the city. The figure then set out after them, taking care to stick to the shadows as he made his way to the Dragon City.

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Terrador stood on one of the Palace's balconies, examining the repairs made by the moles to the city of Warfang. He shook his head and sighed; even with their seemingly endless energy and speed in all matters regarding the forming and shaping of stone, the city would not be whole for a long time to come. Even now, the walls of the city still showed large gaps and several cracks from the long siege. Rubble surrounded the many skeletons of what had once been great buildings. He and the other guardians helped whenever they could, but there were many more pressing duties, such as organizing the surviving dragons that had been hid and scattered during Malefor's evil reign. There was also the question of whether Spyro, Cynder, and Ignitus were still alive. Scouts had been sent out ever since it was clear that Malefor was defeated, but so far, they had found no sign of the three dragons. His reverie, however, was cut short by the arrival of Sparx.

"Hey, big dude, what's happening?" Terrador merely glared at the pesky dragonfly. "Alright, alright, I get it. Only reason I'm bothering you is that the mole dude—professor doctor, or whatever…"

"Dr. Professor?" Terrador inquired, suddenly interested.

"Yeah, whatever, the dude wants you to come see him. He's got some new gizmo he wants to show you, and I gotta tell ya, this thing looks important."

"Very well, Sparx, lead on," Terrador said, following the yellowish glow that Sparx always seemed to give off.

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He arrived in the room just in time to hear a big explosion, followed by a whoop and what sounded like shattering glass. As he opened the door, a wave of black smoke puffed out the doorway. Coughing, Terrador waited for it to clear. When it did, he could see the professor, sitting amid a pile of broken vials. The mole was covered in black soot from top to bottom. Hearing the guardian, the professor started to clean his goggles, grinning sheepishly at the inquisitive Earth guardian. "Apologies for the… less than formal introduction. The machine still has a few kinks to work out." Trying to stand, he slipped in the puddle of fluid from the vials and slid for several feet, leaving a black streak behind him.

Terrador was about to reply when the other door opened and Hunter came in, followed by a female Altawa. Though they seemed surprised by the mess, they quickly regained their composure.

Hunter spoke first. "Professor, why have you sent for us? We were not informed of why we were to come, only that it was a matter of great importance."

Terrador examined the Altawa curiously. "Excuse me, but I don't think we've been introduced. I am…"

"Terrador, the Earth guardian," she cut in, "you have the strength to lift five tons of sandstone with just your muscles, up to fifty with your power over Earth. You once demolished an entire mountain in just three days. Also, you were known as quite the heartbreaker in the dragon academies. My name is Elora, founder and head of the Chamber of Representatives. It's a pleasure to meet you, and good to know that we'll be working together." She extended her hand.

Terrador absentmindedly shook it, staring at her with wide eyes and his mouth open. He had never thought that he would be able to find someone who talked as much as Volteer, but Sparx had proved him wrong. Now another being existed who had just as quick a tongue, and apparently the means to dig up any piece of information.

Hunter chuckled. "She's been working on the introduction for weeks, you know. If you only knew what she did to get that information…"

"Wait, Terrador was a HEARTBREAKER in high school!?!"

Terrador glared and Elora grinned at Sparx. "Why, yes, he was," Elora said, "He apparently was quite a go-getter back in the day."

Sparx appeared to ponder this for a moment, then burst out laughing. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh, wait until Spyro hears about this! Big green Terrador used to be a ladies man! OH, I am going to MILK this for everything it's got!"

Terrador growled, blood rushing to his face, and he seriously considered splatting the dragonfly. Elora grinned. "You must be Sparx, dragonfly companion to the purple dragon. Is it true that you still suck your thumb? Or that you still wet the bed?"

Shock and indignation radiated from the brightly glowing dragonfly. "Hey, that was a one-time thing. You'd wet the bed, too, if you had a dream that the Dark Master was eating you alive!" He sulked and started to absentmindedly move his hand to his mouth. Terrador grinned. "So, what do you think when everyone hears that Sparx still sucks his thumb?"

Sparx glared at the Earth guardian. "Fine, you win," he said, "I don't tell about your college years, you keep out of my private life. Okay?"

"EXCUSE ME!!!"

The thunderous roar shook the entire building's foundation. Everyone stared at the Professor, who cleared his throat.

"Now, if we are done gossiping about the past, can we please get to the reason I called you here?"

Hunter smiled but said nothing.

"All right," Elora sulked, "What have you made that is so important?"

"And," Terrador added, "Will it really work or just explode?"

Dr. Professor glared at the Earth guardian. "What happened earlier was not an explosion; I simply released the pressure on the purifier too soon, and the subsequent blast of soot left me and my shop in need of a wash. However, that was a matter of user error, not a flaw in the machine. Though it is not quite complete, this device will work perfectly, if used correctly. Now, as to what it is and why it is so important…"

He turned and gestured at the series of square machinery, tubes, and wires.

"This is the prototype to a trans-space-time dimensional wormhole, which is sufficiently safe for life to pass through. These will revolu--"

The group stared at him quizzically.

He sighed. "It's a portal generator."

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The group stared at the Professor, digesting what he had just said. "So, this thing can open a portal to anywhere in the world?" Sparx asked.

The professor nodded. "Unfortunately, I am currently lacking a power source strong enough to operate the device, but yes, when it is up and running, we will be able to create portals to all the important settlements and locations in the world."

Terrador was skeptical. "So, in other words, we may not be able to operate it at all if the proper power source can't be found."

"Oh, there is a power source that would be sufficient for the machine. I believe you are familiar with the gems that are scattered throughout the land. Well, a large enough quantity of them would be more than sufficient to open at least ten portals. Also, these portals, once created, will be able to sustain themselves without needing a constant power source: they will last until someone destroys the anchors."

"Anchors?" Elora asked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Elora, the portals, when created, will form a crystalline formation beneath themselves that will hold them in place. Destroying these would destroy the portal."

"Why would you want that?" Sparx asked. "That means that someone could sabotage the portals and ruin the whole system."

"It also means, Sparx, that we would be able to prevent an enemy from using the portals to appear within our city walls," the Professor explained.

"Well, when will it be operational?" Elora asked. "Something like this would be very useful for diplomatic missions."

The Professor smiled. "The crystals I ordered should be here in a few hours."

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Meanwhile, in a cave system in a canyon, several shadowy figures where having a heated argument.

"God damn it, Skero, why didn't you tell us of this earlier?" one of the figures demanded, slamming his fist into the table they were gathered around.

The figure this had been addressed at glared at the speaker. "Well, I didn't think the bumbling fool would actually succeed in building it! What would happen if we sounded the alarm at every possible threat? We're in the middle of a war!"

"Which is exactly why we should have been informed," another figure put in. "The possibility of another world becoming known to the Dark Sorceress is a very important matter, and we can be all but certain that she detected that pulse of energy from his test run. Therefore, we must move forces onto the world before she does."

"Are you mad? The locals would regard us as invaders," another pointed out. "We need to convince them that they are in danger and have them help us organize a defense."

"That would be easier, Breezar, if we had known that they were preparing to make a portal opener before it had sent its signal out into the universe for the Dark Sorceress to detect!" The first figure countered. "Now there is no time to form a defense! Thanks to your bumbling, Skero, the Dark Sorceress will launch an invasion at any minute!"

Skero fumed. "Well, we can't be jumping at every single shadow that shows up!"

"Yes, especially when some of those shadows are our allies."

All of the figures turned to the newcomer who had spoken. They radiated shock and respect.

"I d-did not know y-you were coming, s-sir," the first figure stuttered, his voice humbled and subdued.

"It is my business to show up where the resistance I am in charge of has problems that need solving."

"Sir, I apologize for my adverse reaction to probing, sir," Skero breathed. "I am… infuriated that I let something like this go unnoticed."

"Peace, Skero, you have done nothing wrong. Like you said, we can't jump at every shadow, and that means that some threats go unnoticed. You are right, Bletor, there is no time for a defense to be organized with the locals. However, we also do not want to be seen as invaders. I will personally lead a small group to this world, and we will try to organize the locals as best we can before her forces show up. Once they do, however, we will have to try and help those at the city that seems to be the base of their civilization. Shadow is already on-world, and is following the two dragons who seem to be the best fighters they have. If what he says of them is true, their power may be able to end this war once and for all."

Everyone in the room immediately burst into protestations. The figure waved his hand, and the room instantly grew quiet.

"I know the risks of going on this mission, but there is much to be gained. Before you try, know that I will not be stopped from doing this."

Skero spoke up. "Sir, if you die--"

"That is something that will not happen. Be sure of it."

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Spyro and Cynder flew over the tops of the trees, the light breeze holding them aloft. They had made good time so far, but Spyro was getting tired.

"Hey Cynder," he called, "Why don't we take a break? I'm getting thirsty."

Cynder smiled back at him. "All right, slowpoke, there's a clearing right next to the river just a little further on."

She was right about the distance. She had barely finished saying it when they got to the clearing. They both landed and folded their wings, grateful for the respite. Spyro went over to the river and started drinking. Suddenly, he saw something move. His head shot up, water splashing as he quickly started searching for the origin of the movement. A sound came from just above him. He snapped his head up.

A group of dragons looked down at him. "Are you Spyro?" one with green scales asked. Spyro smiled. "Why, yes I am. What gave it away, the purple scales or the travelling companion?"

The dragon smiled sheepishly. "A little bit of both, actually. Thank goodness we found you two." The group landed next to Spyro.

Cynder walked up. "Why would you be glad you found us?" she asked.

"We're scouts from Warfang," the green dragon explained. "We've been searching for you two for days. People were starting to worry." He stopped, perplexed. "Wasn't the fire guardian, whatsisname, Ignitus, with you?"

Spyro winced. "Ignitus… he's dead."

"Dead? What…" the dragon stopped seeing the pain in Spyro's eyes.

"We better get going if we want to get to Warfang soon," Spyro said. He leaped into the air and flew off, his wings flapping at a fantastic rate.

The scouts looked after him with a puzzled expression. Cynder looked after him with a sad look on her face.

"He's not had a chance to come to terms with Ignitus' death," she explained. "We better follow him, but give him plenty of space."

They set off after the purple dragon.

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The reptilian creature watched from the shadows of a giant elm tree as the group took off. He was interested in the purple one's reaction to the mention of his dead mentor. The dragon's energy had changed, and… he had nearly touched the darkness. This was something that took years of training for most, and mastery took up to a decade. Yet this dragon was extremely susceptible to the forces of shadow and light. Putting these thoughts aside, he took off after the group.

**Oooh, who IS that guy? In fact, who are all these people who like to stand just so that you can't see their faces? And who is this Dark Sorceress? Find out (maybe) in chapter 2. Coming soon!**


	2. Chapter 2: Darkness in Motion

**Chapter 2**

**Darkness in Motion**

_The Darkness offers great power. The Light offers great freedom. Both deceive those who use them. Only when Darkness and Light are woven together do they reveal the other's lies. Truth is always hidden in Shadow.—Sensei Rogu_

Spyro strained, his wings flapping furiously as he sped through the clear blue sky, the tears of anguish and anger swept away, to fall unheeded to the forest below. _Why couldn't I save him? Why? _Spyro wondered. _I should have been strong enough to save him, but I wasn't. How can the purple dragon of legend not be strong enough to save the life of his teacher? How could I be so weak? _His wings were screaming in agony, the toil of flying at such high speeds for so long beginning to take its toll. He enjoyed the pain. It was a pain he could understand, a pain he could identify, not just some wound-up emotion that made any mention of Ignitus feel like being stabbed in the heart. Suddenly, his wings went limp, simply unable to take any more punishment. Spyro was calm as he watched the ground begin to race up at him. He wouldn't mind dying. Why should he live? The war was over, Malefor was dead… _and so is the only dragon I ever viewed as a father. _He had failed Ignitus. He was the reason that the dark master was ever set free, he was the reason that three years went by without the dark master being destroyed, and it was his fault Ignitus was dead. What reason did he have to live? But before he hit the ground, a cry reached his ears.

"Spyro!"

His eyes snapped open. Cynder was a reason to live; Cynder was something to live for. He had promised her a family and a life together, and though he may have failed Ignitus, he would never fail her. He forced his wings open, catching himself and pulling out of his dive. His wings felt as if they were made of lead; he couldn't keep it up for long. Luckily, the ground was very close now; a fall wouldn't be fatal. He was going to crash, that much was evident, but he could at least choose where.

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Cynder watched as Spyro disappeared into the trees. Relief that he had escaped his dive wrestled with worry over whether he was all right for dominance in her mind. The scouts had panicked at Spyro's sudden drop, and they were all worried about his well-being; however, Spyro had outpaced them all with his frantic flying, and they were to far away to have done anything but yell. They also couldn't tell exactly where he had disappeared into the canopy. Thoughts like these filled Cynder's head as she and the scouts flew toward the place where they thought they had last seen Spyro.

They landed next to a river that threaded its way lazily through the forest. Spyro was somewhere nearby, and they had to find him, and soon. Cynder turned to the leader of the scouts. "You and your scouts stay here. You can fly around and see if you can find him yourselves, but I should be the one to talk to him."

The dragon merely nodded. "You are obviously someone he is close to. I wouldn't dare have any of my men approach him until you've had a word with him."

Cynder turned and smiled as she started heading into the forest. "Smart man."

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Hours later, Cynder started to despair of finding Spyro._ Maybe it's better to leave him alone for a while, let him cope with the death of Ignitus_, she thought to herself. She turned and headed back towards the river. Suddenly, she heard something moving in the brush. "Hello? Spyro?" she called. "Spyro, you there?" She started walking over to where she thought the sound had come from. Suddenly, she was hit with a burst of ice. The unexpected attack knocked her wind from her, and she doubled over. Gasping for breath, she was struck again, this time by fire, electricity, and poison, one right after the other. She screamed as pain flooded every aspect of her existence. Turning, she tried to blindly send a wave of shadow in the general direction of the attacks. Before she could unleash her shadow breath, however, she was hit again, this time by a breath she had never encountered before. She suddenly felt drained, definitely unable to use her breath attacks anytime soon. Looking up, she saw a ring of dragons surrounding her, most with leering glances sent in her direction. She noticed, however, that one of them held back, a red male who seemed to be uncertain of what his friends were doing. Before she could think further, however, she was picked up and thrown against a tree.

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Cyril sighed as he looked at the small group of dragons before him. These were the only new dragons to appear today, and the number of dragons coming in was dwindling. True, there were many dragons in the city now, more dragons than he had seen in a long time. But it was still small compared to the population of dragons before Malefor. That, however, was irrelevant to the job at hand: assigning the newcomers places to go.

"Alright, let's see," Cyril said, glancing at a list of names, "Saphila?"

"Here," a small green piped up. Cyril glanced at her. "Hm. You can head over to the west wall, they have plenty of space over there, and they could use an earth dragon like you. Fyror?"

He was interrupted by the arrival of Sparx. "Hey, Frosty, wassup?"

Cyril glared at the dragonfly. "I don't have time for your antics, Sparx; I am quite busy at the moment."

Sparx huffed. "Well, the only reason I'm even here is to tell you about the portal opening that's going to happen at noon, but I'm obviously not welcome."

"Wait, portal opening?" Cyril asked. "Explain yourself, Sparx."

"Fine. The wacky old mole that calls himself Dr. Professor has built a device that will be able to open portals to anywhere in the world, and at noon today, he's going to open the first. The portal is supposed to sit in the middle of Town Square so that it's easily accessible and an actually decent destination. The portal is supposed to be to the cheetah village in Avalar, to shorten the time it takes for the Cheetahs to get here and to their village. That a good enough explanation?"

Cyril thought about this. "What if there are complications? The portal could open to a place that may not be the friendliest. Tell Terrador that there better be an armed guard at the portal entrance, just in case."

"Right, consider the message delivered."

Cyril stared after the dragonfly. He found himself wondering about Spyro, Cynder, and Ignitus. Were they all right? Were they dead?

He shook his head. "All right, then, where did I leave off? Oh, right; Fyror?"

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In the hills to the south of Warfang, unknown to anyone, a portal suddenly opened, startling a few pigeons. Several figures started to come through the portal. A few minutes later, the portal closed, leaving thirty-two Avarians standing in a semi-circle. The Avarians where a race that were a cross between birds and men; they had the heads of birds, beaks, and feathers all over their body, not to mention the wings that sprouted from their backs; but they stood on two legs, and had two arms as well. The group was mixed from the many flights of their home world, bearing characteristics of Cardinals, blue jays, and many other different flights. However, they all followed Adavir, the famed leader of the Resistance. The fact that he was personally accompanied them on this mission spoke leagues about the importance of this mission. Right now, he was looking toward the city, the heavy brow of a Falcon furrowed. He knew that the attack was mere hours, if not minutes, away. He turned to his men.

"All right, boys, here's what we do. Pelinal, you take squads A, B, D, and E directly to the city. Warn the locals and try to help them organize a defense. C squad, you're with me. We need to find that purple dragon that Shadow made reports about; he may be useful in repelling the direct attack on the city. Pelinal, if the city is undefendable, or if there is a better defensive position, have the locals fall back and regroup. This is not a final stand; this is ensuring that resistance isn't crushed within the first few hours of the invasion. Also, try and get a permanent portal up and running; you'll need the reinforcements. May the Spirits guide us."

"May the Spirits guide us," the group murmured.

Adavir grinned. "Well, what are you standing around here for? We've got a world to save!"

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Cynder struggled to get up, her legs shaking. She felt drained; that one attack had sucked all energy right out of her. The group of dragons surrounded her, evil grins on most of their faces. She counted eight, and she was sure there were more behind her. Her suspicion was confirmed as she was suddenly hit from behind. Two dragons swept her legs out from under her, pinning her on her back, her front legs trapped underneath their iron grip. She struggled fiercely, wishing desperately that she could use her poison breath to rot their leering faces right off their skulls. An Ice dragon broke off from the ring that surrounded her and started walking toward her. Cynder didn't like the way he was eyeing her. She followed his gaze, and instantly had an idea of what he had in mind.

Her fears were confirmed as two more dragons came forward, pinning her tail and hind legs to the ground as well. The dragon turned to his group and said, "I go first, you decide who gets the next turn. She was helpless, unable to stop them from spreading her hind legs, unable to stop this leering creep from climbing on top of him. She had never felt so vulnerable. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, fighting to keep her voice from shaking.

The brute grinned down at her. "The Mistress wants you out of the way, so we gotta kill you. Don't mean we don't get to have some fun first, though. By the way, the name's Cryptar."

"Please, don't do this," Cynder pleaded, fear running through her veins like ice. Cryptar just grinned, enjoying himself as he felt her shiver as his member rubbed against her opening. Cynder knew then, knew without a doubt, that she was about to be raped, and she would be raped several times, and it was going to hurt, and hurt bad… Cryptar thrust.

An audible crack was heard as he crashed into a tree. Picking himself up, he glared at the intruder, who was standing over Cynder, with a long branch the thickness of his thumb in his hands. "You're going to PAY FOR THAT!!!" Cryptar yelled, leaping toward the stranger with claws extended, going for the throat.

The first thrust from the makeshift quarterstaff landed beneath Cryptar's chin, crushing his windpipe. Twirling the staff, the stranger stepped back, sending the staff crashing into the area right where the neck meets the ribcage, crushing the windpipe yet again. His momentum still carrying him forward, Cryptar was unable to see the third blow to his neck, snapping the spine. His lifeless body crashed to the ground, life fading from his eyes as blood poured from his mouth. Whirling, the stranger sent the staff crashing beneath the chin of one of the dragons pinning her left side down, the windpipe being crushed instantly. The other end crashed into the head of the other dragon on her left, snapping his neck. Carrying the momentum, the stranger sent the staff crashing down onto the head of the third dragon pinning her. Grey matter exploded from his eyes, ears, and mouth, splattering Cynder and the final terrified captor. The final captor tried to run but tripped. Before he could get up, the staff crashed onto his chest. His head and arms shot up as his ribs were cracked and shoved through his heart and lungs, then drooped, blood beginning to drip from his mouth. The stranger turned to the remaining dragons ringing Cynder.

It was less than ten seconds since Cryptar had made his fatal leap.

Cynder stared in awe at her savior. A hood and cloak hid all features. He was not paying attention to her, focused on the remaining dragons, who stared at him with fear evident in their eyes. A voice emanated from the hood, a voice that echoed like the winds on a dry canyon wall.

"You have as of yet done nothing to invoke my wrath. Leave now and your lives will be spared. Stay and you will share the fate of your comrades."

A few seconds later, Cynder was alone with the strange figure.

As Cynder struggled to her feet, the enormity of what had nearly happened nearly knocked her back down. Her breathing became sharp and ragged, a sob nearly escaping her throat as she realized how very close she had come to being raped. Suddenly, she was filled with a new energy. It seemed to fill every pore of her body with vitality. She turned to her savior. He clutched a now-drained blue crystal in his hands. He spoke to her.

"There will be time later to deal with the anguish and fear that runs through your veins. Right now, however, there is much work to be done, and very little time in which to do it. Your world is about to be invaded, and if you and the purple one do not hurry, you may not be able to stop the darkness from consuming your planet."

Cynder stared at him. "Are you saying that we're about to be plunged into the middle of another war? Right after we just ended the last one?"

"I do not know of what has taken place on this world beyond a few days ago, when I first came here. Yes, you are going to be plunged into another war. But do not despair. You have allies."

He turned. "Time is short, and your friend is in need of assistance. If you want more answers, meet me at the forest edge, next to the lane of scorched trees. We will have more time to discuss things there."

Before she could respond, he dived into a tree, dissolving into the tree's shadow.

Cynder stared at the place where he had just disappeared. _Well, he did save me. I guess I should do what he says. _Common sense argued otherwise, but she had a feeling that this mysterious stranger had good intentions. She set of towards the river, intending to have the scouts go on ahead to Warfang and warn of the coming invasion.

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Spyro's eyes shot open. He tried to stand, and almost instantly regretted it. He groaned as he forced his legs to carry him. Every inch of his body felt like it was on fire. _Last time I crash-land in a forest_, he thought, then groaned as his foot hit a root, sending fire racing up his leg. _Or anywhere else. _He finally let his legs collapse from beneath him. He needed to think, and the constant agony of standing interrupted his thought processes. Even lying down, his every bone ached. Suddenly, he remembered seeing a river nearby, right before he crashed. Groaning, he set off in the direction he believed the river lay in, intending to quench his thirst and soothe his aching body in its waters.

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Cyril was just returning from assigning the new arrivals places to stay in the city when Sparx appeared. "Terrador says that he thinks you're right, and that there will be an armed guard at the portal. Also, I believe Elora wants to talk some politics with you. She's at the Western wall."

Cyril nodded. "I will be with her presently. Thank you, Sparx, you are proving to be a valuable messenger."

Sparx smiled. "Hey, gotta earn my keep somehow. Hang loose!" With that, he took off, his yellow body soon fading out of sight.

Cyril smiled to himself. It was true; the little yellow insect was making himself very useful. _Probably trying to keep his mind off Spyro_, he thought to himself. He sighed, then shook out his wings and took off for the Western wall.

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He arrived a few moments later. Sure enough, Elora was waiting for him. He wondered at her bravery. She was very assertive and sure of herself, while other Altawas were shy and withdrawn. Such thoughts were dismissed as he landed next to her. "Good Morning, Elora," he greeted warmly. She smiled and bowed to him. "Good Morning to you, too, Cyril. I am honored by our meeting."

Cyril smiled. "To what do I owe this meeting?" Elora suddenly grew serious. "I hate to burden you further, Cyril, but to be blunt; there is a lot of work that remains undone in the city. I understand that the Guardians are very busy as it is, but we need to figure out…"

Any further conversation was interrupted by a cry from the sentinel.

"Signal from the Eastern Wall! Scouts have returned… and they bring news of Spyro!"

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Spyro sighed as he lowered himself into the cool water of the river. The burning of his body receded to a dull ache, the flames soothed by the water. While he lay there, enjoying the relief he received from the burning pain, he thought back on his actions. It was stupid of him to fly so fast, to push his wings so hard. His inability to hold his emotions over his mentor's death had nearly cost him his life. He sighed to himself. He would certainly not be so foolish in the future.

He also thought about Cynder. What happened back in the cave… He stood, shaking the water from his body. Still, he couldn't help but imagine what would have happened had he accepted her invitation.

_You WILL accept her invitation_, he thought to himself, _just some other time_. Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him.

"Well, if it isn't the Mighty Spyro, Purple Dragon of Legend."

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Cynder emerged from the forest at the patch of burned trees. She gaped as she saw how far the gap expanded. For nearly a mile in every direction, burned husks stood side by side, creating a labyrinth of incomparable magnitude. The only break in the burned trunks was where the river cut through this despairing place, a ribbon of blue across a canvas of brown and black.

_This must be one of the results of the Wall of Fire_, Cynder realized. What else could explain such devastation?

Suddenly, a hand reached out and clamped down on her mouth, pulling her into the shadow of a clump of charred trunks. Before she could fight back, she heard her captor whispering in her ear.

"Quiet, Black Dragon, I am a friend. Stay yourself, for I mean you no harm."

Cynder lowered her tail, which had been an instant from plunging into the figure behind her. She wasn't sure if she could trust this person, but she had been told to come here.

"Now, listen carefully," the mysterious figure whispered. "There are many around who would not take kindly to our presence, so I had need of making sure you did not give us away. I will remove my hand now, but you must remain quiet once I do. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "Good." The hand slipped from her mouth. She turned to get a better look at the strange person.

She had never seen anyone like him. He was reptilian, with bluish-red scales covering every inch of his body, but he stood on two legs like one of the cheetahs. A thick tail devoid of any spikes or blades swung slowly from side to side. His face was similar to a dragon's, and bore a friendly smile. He was wearing armor made up of overlapping sheets of metal, completely covering his torso, with smaller patches on his shoulders and forming a skirt-like piece on his legs. Two katanas were sheathed in his belt, obviously ready to go at a moment's notice. His clothing was all black, and his armor was a dull grey.

His voice interrupted her examination. "Greetings, Black Dragon. I am Sen-Vu, Student of The Shadow, last of the Moon Warriors. I am honored by our meeting." Cynder smiled at him. "My name's Cynder. So, are you really last of the Moon Warriors?"

Sen-Vu laughed quietly. "I am not last of the Moon Warriors. The Shadow is last of the Moon Warriors." Cynder stared at him. "The Shadow? Is that someone's name?" He smiled at her. "Indeed. In fact, Sensei was the one who rescued you and instructed you to come here. I was instructed to guide you further. Come quickly, we have far to travel, and time runs short." With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the silent husks of the burned forest. Taken aback for a minute by what he had just said, plus the fact that he made absolutely no noise when he moved, she soon recovered and took off after him, both making sure to stick to the shadows and not make a sound.

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Spyro whirled to face the speaker and found himself facing eight dragons his age and an adult dragon. The adult, who had spoken first, grinned evilly at him. "Going somewhere, Purple Dragon? We have such a welcome planned for you." He laughed as he said the last, as did the other dragons. Growing serious again, he faced Spyro. "The thing is, Purple Dragon, you and your girlfriend could create a lot of trouble for the Mistress. We can't have that, so we're going to try to convince you to join us. If you do, you can help conquer this puny world."

Spyro growled, trying to hide his obvious inability to fight. "Why the hell would I even consider that? Whoever this Mistress is, you can tell her that she can shove it up her--"

He was interrupted by a ball of flame slamming into him. He was blown back into the river, the cold water helping with the burns, but not completely eliminating the pain. He surfaced, gasping for breath.

The Adult male now had a look of contempt on his face. "If that is your decision," he snarled, "Then you will die!"

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"Now, start from the beginning," Volteer encouraged the panting scouts as the other guardians arrived. The scouts had flown hard and fast, not stopping until they had reached the city.

The leader of the scouts caught his breath first. "We found Spyro and Cynder flying toward the city, sir. We were escorting them back, when Spyro, who was flying ahead, suddenly crashed. We landed, and Cynder went looking for him, but then she returned and told us that we had to come here as fast as we possibly could, tell you about this, and report that there was an invasion of some source pending. When I inquired further, she only said that she had been attacked and that we needed to get the warning here as soon as possible. We left and haven't stopped flying since."

"When was this, young dragon?" Volteer inquired. Standing a little sturdier, the head scout said, "About an Hour and a half ago, sir."

"I wonder what invasion she was talking about," Terrador rumbled.

"An invasion by the Dark Sorceress herself."

They all whirled around at the sound of the voice. An Avian figure hung in mid-air, her wings flapping to keep her aloft. Behind her were several other similar people, bearing the features of various birds. All were armed and wearing armor, obviously prepared for battle.

The speaker landed, and her followers did the same. "My name is Pelinal," she said, "and these are my soldiers. We have come with the same warning, only from a different sender, and would gladly help to organize a defence."

Terrador examined Pelinal. She had the dark blue feathers and long, thin beak of a Blue-Jay. Twin sabers hung sheathed on her belt, one on each side. She had the look of a seasoned veteran and the aura of a shrewd military commander. "Who sent you?" he asked.

She looked at him. "We come as representatives of the Resistance, devoted to stopping the Dark Sorceress from conquering the worlds. She has recently been alerted to the presence of your world as a result of a prototype portal generator sending a signal racing though the cosmos. Her forces detected this pulse and traced it to your world. Now, her forces will begin an all-out invasion of your world within the next few hours. If you wish to remain free of her enslavement, you will organize a defence and prepare for battle."

Terrador contemplated this. On one hand, they didn't know whether or not they could trust these strange people. On the other, if what they said was true, then they needed to organize a defence, and fast. He decided. Turning to his fellow guardians, he said, "I agree with You, Pelinal. Cyril, Volteer, Sound the call to arms!"

**Hey, dedicated readers! You like this chapter?**

**Ooh, what's going to happen next? Give you a hint… the attack on Cynder wasn't part of the invasion.**

**By the way, Sen-vu and Shadow are modeled as something of a cross between a samurai and a ninja. A ninja in Samurai armor, if you will.**

**That'll keep you guessing! See you in chapter 3: Coming soon!**


	3. Chapter 3: New Allies, New Foes

**Chapter 3**

**New Allies, New Foes**

_A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.-__Herm Albright_

Spyro raced through the forest, his legs burning from the strain of his headlong flight. Behind him, he could hear the sounds of the pursuit. A fireball whizzed overhead, exploding against a tree. Panting, Spyro turned a corner… and encountered a tree with a trunk the width of at least three Guardians. His heart sank as he realized that he was at a dead end. Turning, he found that he was already ringed by the group of dragons, all of whom were grinning wickedly. Their leader, the adult male Fire dragon, chuckled. "Did you honestly think that you could get away? The Servants of the Mistress are not so easily deterred."

Spyro bit back a smart comeback, saving what little energy he had for the upcoming fight.

The dragon turned to two of the younger dragons. "Kill him," he ordered, then grinned. "But make it slow."

Slowly, the two selected dragons approached. Spyro carefully examined them, searching for any weakness. One was a male with pale grey color, with spikes protruding from just about every possible angle. The other was a lithe Female electricity dragon, with two horns shaped like bolts of lightning on her head and a long, thin blade on the end of her tale.

The grey dragon chuckled at Spyro as he took up a defensive stance. "Please, purple dragon, don't try and fool me. I can read a creature's energies, and you are at the end of the line." Spyro's eyes widened. _If what he said about reading energies was true, then this fight just got a lot more complicated_, Spyro thought.

The electric dragon giggled. "Oh, don't mind old Briar there. We're going to make sure you're still alive a long, _long _time from now," she said, and giggled again. Somehow, Spyro couldn't see her promise as being meant for his best interests. Shaking himself, he crouched, waiting for the perfect moment to move…

Suddenly, a tune from a stringed instrument reached the ears of the dragons. They have a name for it there, but here, we recognize it as "The Monkey Call." Every head instantly swiveled to find the source of the tune.

A figure stood lazily propped up against a tree, a banjo in his hands. His head was that of a Falcon, with a curved beak, grey feathers with brown speckles covering his entire body, and black orbs for eyes that bore a twinkle of mischief. He wore silver-colored armor that covered most of his body, but no weapons of any sort could be seen on his person.

While they stared, he grinned impishly (which looked a lot less strange than you would think a person with a beak grinning would look) and plucked the tune out a second time.

The Adult dragon snorted. "Briar, dispose of that witness." Briar shrugged. "Alright, Inferno, whatever you say." He ambled absentmindedly off in the direction of the figure, not really looking directly at his victim.

Inferno turned back to Spyro. "Now, if that little interruption is finished…"

There was a rustling sound of a stirring wind from the direction where the figure had appeared, followed by a startled yelp. Inferno ducked just in time, as a speeding gray blur shot over his head and crashed into a nearby tree with a resounding **CRACK**!

Inferno glared at Briar, who was now splayed out on the tree. "What the fuck do you think you're doing? Get down from there and eliminate that witness!"

Briar stared openmouthed at Inferno. "Fa ga dara fa lar alaga aaah ga," he said, his jaw not moving an inch. His eyes were open wide, staring at where the figure had been a few moments ago.

Inferno raised an eyebrow. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he demanded. Suddenly, he realized what the problem was. Upon impacting the tree, almost all of Briar's spikes had imbedded themselves in the wood as far as they would go, rendering him completely immobile and incapable of coherent speech.

Turning in disgust, he started as he saw the figure, who was now standing next to Spyro. Spyro jumped. _How the hell did he get so close without me hearing him?_ He wondered. Inferno growled. Before he could say anything, however, the figure suddenly played the tune a third time, letting the last notes hang. The tune sent a clear message: _here I am, come and get me. _

Inferno stared, and then chuckled. "Why, you cheeky little bastard," he rumbled. Turning to the rest of the dragons, he said, "kill them both; have some fun with the extra."

Chuckling, the rest of the dragons closed in. Spyro tensed, waiting for the first strike.

An Ice dragoness leaped toward him, claws aimed right for his throat. At the same time, a fire dragon and the electric dragoness from earlier charged forward. Time seemed to slow as Spyro tried to dodge the Ice dragoness's claws making a beeline for his throat…

A look of surprise radiated from the dragoness's face as her leap was suddenly blocked by a giant claymore. Bouncing back from the parry, she was unable to dodge the slash up across her chest that was the next move from the claymore.

Turning to the figure beside him in surprise, Spyro saw him block the attacks of the other two with his claymore, which seemed to have materialized from thin air. With an expert's precision, the figure knocked the fire dragon back towards the rest of the befuddled dragons, then slashed upwards through the Electric dragoness's neck. Spyro winced as he saw the blade pass right through, not a drop of blood on it…

Wait a minute. Not a drop of blood on it. No blood from the wounds he had inflicted. No blood…

Spyro quickly turned to the Dragoness. A slash like that should have severed her neck… but there she was, massaging the area of her neck that the blade had passed through, a look of puzzlement on her face.

Realizing he was still surrounded, Spyro whirled to face any new attackers. The other dragons, however, were transfixed by this strange person who had just subdued four of their best fighters and wielded a sword that produced no cuts.

The person, who now stood in a defensive stance that showed that he knew exactly what he was doing, spoke. "I believe that you deserve to know the name of the one who ends your lives. As such I will introduce myself. I am Adavir, Leader of the Resistance, Knight of the Silver Wing, and the instrument of your demise."

"A pretty speech," Inferno rumbled, his eyes blazing, "But not enough to deter us from our goal. If you insist on fighting for the purple dragon, then you will die. Do you really wish for death?"

"Your statement has a flaw," Adavir commented, smirking. "It assumes that you will be able to kill me."

Growling, Inferno signaled with his paw. As if on cue, all of the other dragons instantly leaped at the two figures with their backs to a giant tree. After only a few moments of parries, Adavir suddenly curled up, his blade disappearing. Slowly, the dragons began to close on him, like a pack of wolves on a dying rabbit.

Briar, who was watching all this, suddenly started to go into convulsions, appearing to have a panic attack. Turning to him, Inferno had annoyance written all over his face.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Briar, you had your chance, and you blew it. If you want some blood, you'll just have to wait for next time."

Spyro, however, was able to see what was happening more clearly. Briar clearly did not want to join in; in fact, his convulsions indicated he was trying to get away. His eyes were two round orbs that shone with pure terror as they gazed upon the prone figure.

The dragons suddenly realized that something wasn't right. Slowing, they exchanged confused looks with each other, but kept advancing toward the prone figure. The ones in front crouched, preparing to pounce…

Adavir sprung his trap; shooting up to a standing position, and the shriek of the warriors of the Raging Tempest tore from his beak, a sound that would strike terror into the bravest warrior's heart. His wings, which had been folded until now, suddenly sprang out to their full span, a terrifying wall of feathers and muscle that spanned twelve feet, giving him the appearance of a wrathful god. Even as he did so, however, the shriek of the Warrior morphed into the howl of the winds of a raging storm, the gale-force blast of wind he had been building up now loosed upon his foes. Spyro gasped as he saw trees bend to the breaking point in the gale that swept up the dragons and tossed them about, as if they were dry leaves caught in the winds of a hurricane.

The blast of wind ended almost as soon as it had begun. Inferno, who had been tossed into the air, tried to fly back to where the lone figure of Spyro… _Wait a minute_, he thought, his eyes narrowing.

Suddenly, he felt his wings get caught in a sudden updraft, carrying him upward at an alarming rate. Attempting to break away from the updraft, he found himself being tossed about like a toy. Before he could react, he was hit in the gut by what felt like a wall of stone. Wheezing, he turned just in time to see Adavir slice his claymore up his entire body. Searing pain exploded from the slash, nearly causing him to black out. Forcing himself to concentrate, he examined the cut, only to find that like the others, there was no break in the skin.

"Confused?"

Inferno snarled at Adavir, who was now hovering just a short distance away. The impudent warrior smirked. "My blade is called Galescream, and is inscribed with words in the ancient language that prophesy that it will never spill a single drop of blood. Of course," he added, "That doesn't mean that it can't kill."

Roaring, Inferno launched himself at Adavir, a stream of fire erupting from his maw. However, he was unexpectedly caught in a swirl of air currents that spun him around until he couldn't tell which way was down anymore.

"You know, taking the fight to the skies was really stupid on your part," Adavir commented absentmindedly. "When you're flying, you're at the mercies of the winds." He turned to the still-dizzy Inferno. "And guess who comes from a place where all children are taught wind magic from the age of three?"

Before Inferno could reply, he was swept up in another air current, this one trapping him in a constant loop. Invisible fists began to pummel the dragon, cracking bones and leaving huge bruises.

"You know, my old Ring-ball coach had a saying," Adavir confided with Inferno as the loop dissipated. "He said, 'Boys, if you fly into my skies, you're gonna hafta do one of three things:'"

He slammed into Inferno, sending him reeling from the giant wind blast contained in the blow.

"Beat Me!"

Inferno was hit again, this time from below. It felt like a hammer had been slammed into his chest.

"Join Me!"

Adavir was suddenly over Inferno, Galescream held high, the energy for the final blow building.

"OR GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY SKIES!!!"

The vengeful warrior slammed into Inferno, speeding them both toward the ground, with Inferno between Adavir and the growing ground. _This is gonna hurt_ was the last thing Inferno thought before they slammed into the ground.

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Terrador's head jerked up. "What was that?" he demanded. Pelinal and the other guardians gave him quizzical looks. His brow furrowed. "I am certain I felt a disturbance in the earth, like a major impact." Pelinal shot up from where she had been sitting cross-legged, participating in talks of defensive strategy. "Show me," she demanded from grinding beak.

As they ascended to the wall top, they heard the cry of a sentry. "Something to the South-South-West; it looks like—holy shit." This last was barely audible. Landing on the wall top, they saw what the guard saw—a plume of debris nearly five miles away, but still clearly visible. Terrador paled as he contemplated what could have that kind of power; Pelinal, however, visibly relaxed.

"Dang Adavir," she sighed, chuckling, "you nearly gave me a heart attack."

Terrador turned to her, his face filled with horror. "What do you mean? Do you know who—or what—is responsible for that?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," she said, still chuckling. "That would be Adavir, the one who went after Spyro. Apparently he ran into some trouble."

Staring at the cloud of debris, Sparx commented, "Looks more like the trouble ran into him."

Pelinal laughed. "You're right," she said, "he's probably having the time of his life."

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Spyro picked himself up off the ground. Shaking his head, he found that he was unable to hear. Picking up a stick, he held it up to his ear and snapped it. Yep, nothing, he thought. The impact had been just a little further into the forest, but it had still thrown Spyro at least twenty feet. Looking as the plume of debris, he couldn't help but think about how it was probably visible for miles. Something caught his eye. He peered at it. It was red, and it was falling…

A piece of red goop splattered at his feet. He recoiled in horror as he realized what it was. Even now, more pieces were starting to rain down, the wet splats taking up the tempo of a very disgusting rainstorm. If it was raining slime.

"Not the most subtle approach, but it gets the job done."

Spyro whirled to face Adavir, who had once again crept up on Spyro without his knowing it and was once again carrying his banjo. "Who are you, and what do you want with me?" Spyro demanded. Adavir put on a serious face.

"Were you not paying attention to the whole exchange between me and the bad guys? I am Adavir; I'm not going to start listing all my titles because you would be bored to death before I was halfway done, and that kind of counteracts the whole reason for me being here, which, by the way, is to keep you alive."

Spyro stared at him. "Okay, your name is Adavir," he said hesitantly. "Right!" Adavir beamed. "You have a lot of titles, so you're probably of some importance." Adavir smirked. "You could say that…"

Spyro stared at him. "Why would you be trying to keep me alive?" Adavir put on a shocked expression. "What, you don't honestly WHAT to die, do you?" He exclaimed. Spyro sighed. "No, I…" "If you don't want to die, than what was with that suicide bombing run earlier?"

Spyro started. "Have you been following me?" Adavir grinned. "No, but I hired somebody else to do it for me. By the way, why would you turn down a chick like that? I can understand the not wanting to be a father yet, but if you've got a horny little-"

"THANK YOU!" Spyro roared, his face turning crimson. "That's all I need to know." "Good. Can we get going now?" Spyro glared at him. "Why should I go anywhere with you?"

"Because in less than three hours, your world is going to be hit by an invasion force that is hell-bent on twisting this world into total darkness, and I'm the leader of the only organized resistance the worlds have against this army; which by the way is led by a total psychopath known as the Dark Sorceress, who is so powerful that she could turn you into a talking duck if you were in the same room as her."

Spyro's jaw dropped. After a minute, he croaked, "Maybe you better start at the beginning…"

**Sorry it took so long to update. Thanks to all the readers who post replies on this.**

**I decided to take some time to describe what was happening to Spyro, as the other chapters so far have focused on the Guardians and Cynder.**

**More chapters coming soon!**


	4. Chapter 4: Histories Revealed

**Chapter 4**

**Histories Revealed**

_The man who fights with his blade can rend flesh and bone, the man who fights with his voice can turn the minds of others to his will, but it is the man who fights with his heart who will always triumph, for he never fights alone.—Sensei Rikumo_

The red dragon raced through the woods, his heart pounding loud in his ears as every shadow and cracking stick brought forth yet another foe, yet another fear realized. Stumbling heedlessly through the forest, fleeing from he knew not what, his panicked mind tried desperately to regain control of his limbs, who knew only that there was danger and they must flee, flee, flee…

Stumbling on something, he fell, his momentum rolling him another few feet before he came to a stop. As he eased himself up, his mind succeeded in regaining control of his panicked body. He shook his head as he thought of the botched assassination. When the Mistress heard of their failure, she would be furious. She would want an explanation. She would want blood.

He didn't know how long he had been running, only that it was since the hooded figure had made an appearance and dispatched the five best dragons in the Right Index. He shuddered at the memory of the blood and gore, the bodies of the dragons who had bullied him and stolen from him and beaten him to within an inch of his life for fun spread out before the imposing silhouette of that terrifying apparition.

He shuddered. Maybe he should worry about getting back with some of the others. After all, they had all ran. Not that he liked any of them; on the contrary, he hated them all. He hated how they would all pick on him and beat him simply because he hadn't been born into the Dark Claws. He was simply an orphan who had been looking for a way to survive, and the Dark Claws had seemed a very lucrative option at the time. Now he wished he had never said yes, that he had starved to death in the mountains where his parents had been killed, leaving a five-year-old dragon to fend for himself. If only he had known that they would ask him to be involved in something like this…

He was sickened by what his comrades had nearly done. A raid on an Ape outpost or border defense was one thing, but… rape and murder? How had he let himself be led into something like that? How could he have just stood there and said nothing?

_And what if you had spoken up?_ A voice in the back of his head spoke up. _You'd be dead. They would've killed you, too._ Except that they hadn't killed her. That was one less thing on his conscience.

His train of thought came to an abrupt halt as he noticed what he had tripped on. Walking over slowly, he stared at the pool of dark red blood that the body of a yellow dragoness lay in, her eyes staring unfocusedly into the heavens.

A chill ran down his spine as he recognized her as one of the dragons from his Claw. She was one of the ones who had always stolen his food at mealtimes just to make him go hungry. Now she was dead, and by the color of her blood, had not been so for long.

Fear once again gripped him as he fled deeper into the forest, trying to put distance between himself and whatever being was powerful enough to kill with such ease. His legs began to burn as he sped through the trees. He never saw the raised root that caught his foot and sent him sprawling on his back. Groaning as he stood once again, he turned to run. He realized that running was now pointless as he stared into an emotionless mask of polished metal.

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Cynder was surprised when her strange companion paused in their silent journey to look at her. "I believe you have many questions, and we should be safe to talk now. However, we must keep moving, so continue to follow me as you ask your questions, and I will do my best to answer them." Turning, he began to move again, though he now moved as if he were on a stroll, rather that dashing from shadow to shadow like a thief of the night.

"All right, then," Cynder said as she followed him, also taking a more leisurely pace. "First question: Who are you? You told me your name, teacher, and that you were in training to join a group known as the Moon Warriors, but that's not the whole story." Sen-vu chuckled. "No, Cynder, that is not the whole tale. First off, I am from the planet of Shaluma, as is my master. Our race is known as Argonian, and as you can see, we have reptilian features that can be very similar to your own." Cynder looked at him. He was right; he did have some features that were strikingly similar to draconic features. However, the fact that he stood on two legs, had hands with opposable thumbs, and had two fins that were attached to the sides of his head marked him as distinctly _not_ dragon.

"That is _what _I am," he continued after she had finished her examination, "now for the _who_. I never knew my true parents; I was simply left on the dojo steps of the Warriors of the Moon, as the order is truly titled; however, many simply refer to us as Moon Warriors, and we do not mind the abbreviation. It improves relations with new groups." "You're and orphan?" Cynder asked. Sen-vu merely nodded. "I do not let such things trouble me. My true parents never made any impact in my life, and I do not miss them. My true parents were the Sensei of the Shadow temple."

Cynder came to an abrupt halt. "Wait, _SHADOW_ temple? As in "Devoted to consuming all that is good" shadow? You're servants of DARKNESS!?!"

Before she could react, she found the razor-sharp blade of a katana pressed against her neck. Anger burned from Sen-vu's eyes as he glared at her. When he spoke, it resonated with barely restrained anger. "Do not…Associate us…with the…the _vermin_…whom we…we…" He sighed, and the fire in his eyes died. Cynder felt the blade move away from her neck. "Forgive me my outburst," Sen-vu said in a tired voice as he slid the blade into its sheath. "We have… a bad history with those who have sold their souls to darkness." "So you _are _servants of darkness," Cynder spat, "just in denial." Anger flashed in his eyes for a split second, but then disappeared. "I think I see why you see it so," he said, a small grin twitching at the corners of his mouth. "Tell me: According to you, what exactly is Shadow?"

The question caught Cynder by surprise. "Um…Well…" she stammered. "I guess it's a form of Darkness, just… more manageable. Easier to use than pure darkness." Sen-vu chuckled and shook his head. "You are right in some ways, yet you are very much mistaken in others. Now come, we have wasted enough time standing here as it is." He began to walk forward. He slowed, then came to a complete stop, turning to face Cynder. She stayed exactly where she was, eyeing him as if he were a snake about to strike. He sighed and leaned against one of the burned trunks that surrounded them. "You're not going to trust me until I explain in detail, are you?" Cynder continued to stare at him warily. He chuckled. "My, but this little adventure with you is going to be interesting. Very well, I guess I should explain. You were right about Shadow being a form of darkness, but it is not _of _darkness. That is, Shadow and Darkness are two very different elements. Tell me, Cynder," he said, pointing to his shadow, "what is that?" She snorted. "Do you honestly not know your own shadow?" he grinned half-heartedly. "You _are_ a spunky little one, aren't you? As a matter of fact, I am very familiar with my shadow, in more ways than one. Now, you know that it is my shadow, but why can you see it?" Cynder began to lose patience with Sen-vu. "Why are you asking these stupid questions?" she demanded. He sighed. "You see my shadow now, but on some days, nothing casts a shadow. Why would that happen? And before you ask, no, it does not involve magic, just the weather." Cynder growled in frustration. "How would the weather determine whether or not things cast shadows?" almost as soon as the question was out of her mouth, however, she remembered a time when she had been interested in the very phenomena that he was describing. "When it's raining…" A smile lit upon Sen-vu's face. "Good! Now, what's the difference between now and when it's raining?" Cynder was about to throw a smart comment at him when she suddenly realized what he was saying. "The clouds block out the sun when it rains," she murmured. His smile widened. "You understand now. Shadow cannot exist without light. Without the sun, nothing casts a shadow. Without a strong inner light, one cannot wield the power of Shadow. However," he injected, "Shadow is not Light, nor is it Darkness. It is a mixture of the two elements, existing as both yet neither. Why do you think your Shadow element grew stronger after the Purple dragon freed you of the Dark One's clutches?" Cynder gasped and recoiled. "How did you know about that?" "To be honest, I didn't. Shadow…My Sensei, not the Element, told me. Before you ask, he has ways of finding information, and seeing as he's been on your world for nearly a week, he's had plenty of time to find out everything he needs to know. Now, if our little dispute is over…" He pushed himself off of the dead frame of the tree, wiping ash from his shoulder. This time, Cynder followed him.

He smiled at her. "Now, if that interruption has finished, do you wish me to continue my story?" Cynder smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that. After everything I've been through, I tend to be a bit suspicious of anyone who shows a hint of evil. Please, continue."

"Well, as I was saying, the Sensei were the only parents I knew; my fellow students, my only siblings. The Moon Warrior Society was very close, yet also aloof. We were under constant surveillance by our teachers and those who had attained the rank of Moon Warrior, yet we had a great amount of liberty, as they would not interfere except in extreme circumstances. At the beginning, we had to watch our belongings, as several new students who had been entered into the order by willing parents used their new-found freedom to thieve from any unsuspecting student. However, as the training continued, the thievery slowed, and then stopped. Some of the thieves would be caught by the ones they thieved from and swiftly punished by their fellow students, but most came to realize that there was no honor in their thieving, and many ended up returning items they had stolen. Honor is a very important part of the way of the Shadow, second only to self-control. You see, Shadow, Light, and Darkness all follow a path of freedom and bondage; the paths are different, yet the choices are very much the same. When you follow the path of Light, you must have the trust and honesty to allow yourself to be used and given boundaries by others. In return, you acquire unimaginable freedom and power within the limits set for you, but straying from the boundaries can have devastating consequences, and you must be able to restrain yourself from misusing that power.

On the road to Darkness, you must have the passion to bend others to your will, for the Darkness must be dominated to be controlled. The reward is power of unfathomable amounts, and the freedom to use that power however you wish, without boundaries. This freedom is what entices many to choose that road, but the price is that you are eventually controlled by Darkness, and you become enslaved to the thing that gives you your freedom.

The way of the Shadow requires that you have the self-restraint to not let your emotions control you, as that is the way of the Road to Darkness, yet you must also have an unbreakable set of morals that you will never cross, no matter what. The reward is much like the rewards of Darkness; unyielding strength and freedom from anyone else's control. However, you must submit yourself as those who follow the path of Light do, only instead of submitting to outside forces, you must submit to yourself. You must set your own boundaries; have the will to avoid temptation of crossing them, and the self-restraint to not be held captive by your emotions.

When we were trained to follow the way of the Shadow, we were taught to control our emotions, to not show fear in the face of danger, to hold back despite the most burning of hatred, and to not choose based on whether the choice made us happy, but on what was best. Boys and girls were not separated; even when we reached the age when our bodies began to change,

"The same age you are at now," he commented.

"They taught us of how our bodies were changing as a group, with both males and females being taught the same lessons. I have found that many that I tell of this are angered by it, but I cannot see why. By making sure that we understood not only what was happening to ourselves, but what was happening to our fellow students, much awkwardness and discomfort was avoided. Before you ask, there was some romance, and the teachers did not suppress it; in fact they encouraged it in some occasions, but it was never allowed to interfere in our training." Sen-vu stopped talking, his mind drifting as old memories washed over him. He snapped out of it when Cynder prodded him with the blunt end of her tail.

"Of course, that was merely the way I was raised. For you to understand who I am, you need to know of the events that brought an end to all of that.

As I said before, Shadow requires an iron will and a strong mind. However, if one was to slip, it would be very easy for them to fall into darkness or join the ranks of the Children of the Sun, our brother order who followed the Path of Light. We never judged those who left to join the Children, and we never held malice to one who fell into darkness. The records of those who did either were simply ended at the time when they left, and new records were started from when they left. As far as our order was concerned, the warrior who fell into darkness or joined the children was a different person than the warrior they called brother. However, one day, nearly eighteen years ago, one of the Great Masters of the Moon Warriors, a woman whose name I will not speak, as according to our ideology she no longer exists, fell into darkness. Somehow, she was able to conceal her fall and give the appearance of still being a warrior of Shadow. None in the order saw this until later, and by then it was too late. She had, in a few short months, sown seeds of darkness in almost every corner of our world. The balance that the Moon warriors were supposed to maintain on our world was tipped. The woman, who is now known as the Dark Sorceress, managed to convince the Children of the Light that the Moon Warriors had descended into darkness, and when the true forces of darkness appeared by her side as well, they were easily convinced that the dark forces had become the new keepers of the Shadow, to counter the supposed fall of the Moon Warriors. Worse, she had managed to cause several of the Moon Warriors to fall into darkness as well, splitting our order. At the time, I was merely a student, trying hard to prepare for the trials that would begin on my twenty-first birthday, or six years from the time, that would determine whether I would earn the title of Warrior of Shadow. One day, however, we awoke to the sound of fighting in the Dojo. As my fellow students and I rushed out to the battle, we were shocked to see our teachers locked in mortal combat with one another. Several of us froze; we had been trained to anticipate any opponent's move, but we had never even considered that our own order would become the enemy. We were unsure of who to fight for. Then, several students began to attack the others. Many had joined with the teachers who had fallen, and now they began to cut down the very people they had trained beside. Many students were felled without ever drawing a weapon. The survivors gathered into small groups, and many individual duels were fought, but we were outnumbered, and as our teachers fell, the fallen ones quickly turned on their students. I fought for my life against the one who had reared my like a father. I was about to be overwhelmed, defeated by his superior knowledge and experience, when Shadow suddenly appeared."

Sen-vu stopped walking, his eyes staring at the ground. "I asked him once: why me? I was not the only student in the Dojo, and I was certainly not the best. At the time, the star pupil, who had been expected to become a Warrior of Shadow in only a few weeks' time, was leading a valiant but futile sally. It wouldn't have saved them, but it did make sure that they did more damage… why not him? Why not any of the others? I wanted to know why he chose me. Do you know what he said?" He looked at Cynder, who shook her head, her thoughts swirling as she digested his long speech. "He said that I never gave up, even when I knew I would lose, even when the outcome made no difference. 'But,' I had said, 'there were many who had not given up.' He merely chuckled and said, 'I was not referring to your continuing to fight. I was referring to why, and how, you fought. Even when you could have won a fight by pulling off a trick of one sort or another, you continued to fight honorably. When your life was on the line, you didn't fight like the others did, as animals trying to survive. You fought like a warrior.'" He chuckled and shook his head, then started to walk again. "After he had dispatched my teacher, he turned to me and told me that I was to come with him if I wanted to live. Needless to say, I did exactly what he told me to. Cutting our way out of the Dojo, we fled to a place where our powers of Shadow were magnified. Asking him about this, I found out about the events involving the rise of the Dark Sorceress and the split in our order. Shadow had been one of the Great Masters who saw what was happening in time to save himself, though I have never discovered which he was. Then again, I never met any of them, and the entire time I have known him, he has never told me. I would have tried to find his face in the records, but the places that the records were kept weren't exactly hospitable at the time, and it would have been futile anyways. He wears a mask made of Moonsilver, a metal that enhances our Shadow powers and shines like the moon, hence the name. In the entire time I've known him, he's never taken it off, though that's probably for the best. Very little is known about him, and that only makes him more deadly. Anyways, when we reached our destination, I asked why we had come to such an obvious spot for a last stand. You need to understand, I was only partway through my training and was…high on testosterone, to put it mildly. The thought of running simply hadn't occurred to me. We had fled, yes, but to my mind, it was only a withdrawal to gather our energy and launch a counterthrust. Let's just say that he put a stop to those dreams in a hurry. The real reason we had come was to go to another world. This was something I didn't fully understand at the time. The Existence of other worlds was a very closely guarded secret. Shadow, however, was one of the few privy to this knowledge. Unfortunately, The Dark Sorceress had also had access to this information, and was already planning an invasion of the nearest world. Shadow, however, beat her to it, and took me along for the trip. Before you ask how, there are two ways to enter another world. The first is to open a portal to that world, which requires launching a generator stone that will have to travel across vast distances of space before reaching the planet; once the stone has landed on the planet and the portal has opened, however, it is possible to cross between the two worlds in an instant. This was the method she intended to use, as it was the most advantageous for an invading army. It is also," he said, looking right at the black dragoness, "the way she intends to invade your planet. However, the way Shadow crossed the gap, with me in tow, was by shadow travel."

Cynder blinked skeptically; this was a lot to stomach. "Shadow travel?" she asked incredulously. Sen-vu smiled, then leaped forward into the shadow of one of the burnt trunks. Suddenly, he seemed to disintegrate into a cloud of shadow that quickly melded without a trace to the oblivious tree's shadow. Cynder gasped, then recoiled as her shadow suddenly started to leak strands of dark energy. Sen-vu exploded from her shadow, tendrils of dark energy shooting in every direction. Landing lightly on his feet, he smirked at Cynder, who quickly regained her composure.

"Short jumps like that are almost reflexive, with proper training. Jumps between worlds, however…" He grinned. "There's a reason Shadow had taken me to a place where the Shadows were strong. Even with that magnification of his already-incredible power over Shadow, plus almost every ounce of energy I could give him, we barely made the first jump. I was out for three days. Shadow was up and about by the time I came to, but he had obviously taken a real blow. Our first order of business was to try and organize a resistance on the world, so they could try and fight off the forces of the Dark Sorceress, much like we are doing here. On the first try, however, the locals just called us crazy, especially because weren't native to their world and our outfits and weapons were different from theirs. They stopped laughing when the first stone landed and a horde of monsters spilled forth."

He shuddered. "In the gap of just a few weeks since our flight and the arrival of her first stone, she had taken all but the most loyal of her servants and… _split_ them. One Student would become twelve wraiths, as we now know them. Whatever she did to them, they were no longer people, just… and this is the irony of it—just _shadows_ of their former selves. They were weaker, of course, but there were just so _many_. And worse, she was able to create dark copies of the wraiths, things called shades, which have all the strengths traits of the wraiths, except for an independent mind. The wraiths at least remember partially what they were, but shades are mindless servants to whatever sorcerer or sorceress conjures them. She did build quite a force of Sorcerers to strengthen her armies, but the shades have a flaw. If the one who created them dies, they die to, whereas the wraiths must be killed individually. In the face of these monsters, unprepared worlds were quickly overtaken, and each world taken only strengthened her forces. We moved from world to world—thankfully, shadow traveling between worlds gets easier each time—trying to warn of their impending doom. We failed to get the message across, however… until we met Adavir."

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Adavir grinned at the Spyro. "Very well, Spyro, I will start at the beginning. However, we will need to get moving afterward. The world is kind of at stake." Grunting, he lowered himself to a sitting position up against the tree, his armor letting out small pings as it came in contact with the hard wood. "Also, don't expect me to pull any more stunts like that little air show again. That cost me five of my six Spirit stones." "Spirit stones?" Spyro inquired. Adavir gave him a sarcastic glare. "I thought I was starting at the beginning. Would you rather I skip around?" Spyro said nothing. Grinning, Adavir launched into his account.

"I come from the world of Avaria, a world that is inhabited by the eight flights. As you can tell, we have characteristics similar to those of certain birds; however, the type of bird varies based upon race, and races are divided into the eight flights; I am of the Raging Tempest Flight, of the Falconin race. Each flight is made up of a different race, except for the Cardalian race; they make up two of the flights. Anyways, each flight has a different area of responsibility. The duties of my flight are to keep order in our world, as like the winds that they draw power from, the other flights would often bicker and fight amongst themselves. Our job was to keep the peace and solve disputes; the order in charge of taking care of things that get too messy is the Knights of the Silver Wing. I was one of that order, and cocky as hell back then. For Centuries, all the order had ever had to do was solve minor quarrels and knock a few heads here and there. About three years ago, however, something began to happen. Disputes long forgotten suddenly appeared at the forefront of many quarrels, rivalries nobody remembered suddenly flared up, and it seemed as if everyone was out to get their neighbor over even the smallest dispute. This was very disturbing to the King of Avaria, whose two sons were in the Order, and were thus being put in danger by the sudden spike in hostile actions. At the time, I worked with one of the brothers. His name was Darkwing, and he was as close to me as he was to his own brother. He was the younger of the two, and thus could not look to inherit the throne, but he didn't really want the throne. He wanted excitement, he wanted action." Adavir chuckled. "And boy, did we get into to some crazy shit together. We were the bane of our commanding officers, the "dirty laundry" of the royal Hall, and the envy of every single male in the city. The city in which we were posted, Fleditia—I know, weird name—was the capital of Avaria, and had been built over and into a series of natural tunnels that funneled winds, making great shortcuts if you needed to move quickly, as we often did, though you could end up in some very odd places. The upside was that we explored much of the city during our various escapades. You can imagine the headache we gave the King."

Adavir chuckled and shook his head. "That came to an end pretty quick, though, when two things happened. The first… isn't…relative to the discussion," he mumbled, turning his head. Spyro was about to react when Adavir looked up and smiled. "The second was the arrival of Shadow." "The guy you had spying on me?" Spyro inquired. Adavir nodded. "The very same. The way we met, however, wasn't exactly awe-inspiring. People had come into town complaining about two lizard-men going around, babbling about some "invasion" and "the end of the world." Darkwing and I were sent to check it out, and find out what the heck these people were trying to do. We actually looked forward to it. Nobody had ever seen these "Lizard-men" before, and it looked to be quite an adventure." Adavir shook his head again. "To tell the truth, I think we could've gone without this one.

When we met Shadow, we were expecting a raving lunatic, foaming at the mouth and yelling about bat-winged trees that would destroy the world." He caught Spyro looking at him skeptically. "Hey, like I said, we came across some crazy shit. Anyways, contrary to our expectations, Shadow and his apprentice were very polite and well-spoken. They asked us to sit and let them explain what was happening. Curious, we decided that we would humor them and hear them out before taking them to be put in stocks for being public nuisances. However, as they began to explain how the Dark Sorceress had once been one of their order who had fallen into darkness, and was now leading a crusade across the worlds, we slowly began to believe them. After all, Avaria had been thoroughly explored, and every race, culture, and animal type had been recorded, yet their gear and race had never been seen before. Something like the advanced civilization they were describing would be pretty hard to miss, and this invasion they were talking about corresponded with the predictions of the Royal mages that something big was about to happen. We really shouldn't have known about the predictions of the royal mages, but…" He grinned. "When your partner is a Prince, and you're sneaking through the palace with him, you tend to pick up a couple of things. Anyways, we decided that on the off chance that what they were telling us was true, we should take them to present their case before the people in power. A few strings were pulled, a few favors granted, Shadow got his audience, the council refused, he turned to me, I organized whoever I could, and when the Dark Sorceress finally arrived, the Council stopped laughing and jumped in the patty wagon. Now come on we're burning daylight!"

Adavir leaped to his feet and took off through the woods. Spyro stared after him for a few moments, and then took of after the strange character. He knew that there was more to the story than that, as Adavir had left things out and rushed the ending, but he decided that Adavir was someone he could trust.

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The red dragon stared at the figure that had just appeared before him, his muscles tensing in anticipation of flight even as his mind realized that running would be useless and fighting would be suicide. The figure made no move to attack, however. The two stared at each other, the red dragon sizing up the now-uncloaked person responsible for the carnage of the day. The mask that showed no emotion shone like a full moon. It was held in place by a helm that had two serpentine dragon figures attached to the top of the front, the overlapping metal plates that covered the back of his neck slowly curving out toward his shoulders. The sheets of metal that made up this helmet also made up his chest piece, bracers, shoulder plates, leg armor, and even the overlapping skirt-like armor that covered him from his waist to just above the knees. The strangest part of his outfit, however, was his armament. Or rather, the lack thereof. There were no sheaths in his belt, no weapons of any kind to be seen, and no place for him to hide even a dagger among the tight-fitting plates of metal that were the color of the midnight sky. The fact that he was unarmed gave the dragon little comfort, as there was no doubt in his mind that this apparition could kill him with the greatest of ease, armed or not.

They continued to stare at each other, neither of them moving, neither making a sound. Finally, the red dragon managed to croak out, "Well? Are you going to kill me or not?" The shadowy figure was silent for a moment, and when he spoke, the voice emanating from his mask echoed like a light breeze stirring up the dry leaves on a forest floor. "No, young dragon, I have not come to kill you."

The red dragon stared at him, unable to think of what to do about this sudden turn of events. "Well, if you're not going to kill me, then why did you show up? Why are you here?" he inquired, his throat dry as he waited for the answer.

The figure chuckled, the breeze becoming a bit playful. "You interest me, Flame."

**OOH, cliffies for everyone!**

**Flame: Whoo, I'm in the story now! Finally! When's Ember going to show up?**

**Me: Why do you care? You're about to get your balls cut off in the next Chapter.**

**Flame: WHAAAAAAAAT!?!**

**Me: Just kidding. Don't make yourself annoying, though, or I might be tempted. Remember, I am God. For you, at least.**

**Flame: so, I'm not gonna…**

**Me: No, you're not gonna lose your balls. Unless Shadow wants you to. Shadow?**

**Shadow: (silence)**

**Me: he'll think about it. Until next time, this is Three-Dawg, OUWWWT!**


	5. Chapter 5: New Arrivals

**Chapter 5**

**New Arrivals**

_Whoever said that all we have to fear is fear itself has obviously never been caught in a crossfire.—General Flamis_

Flame examined the figure carefully. "Why would I be of interest to you?" He inquired, eyeing the intruder warily. The figure was silent for a moment. "Tell me, Flame," he said in a voice like a breeze swirling through a silent forest, "are you not a member of the Dark Claw?" Flame nodded. "Are you not, then, bound to follow the Eight Tenets? To obey without question, to submit to the will of the Dark Mistress, to never kill another member of the Dark Claw unless ordered to do so by the Dark Mistress, to never betray the Dark Claw, to…" "Never leave witnesses, to kill without mercy, to inflict as much pain as you are able on those who oppose the Dark Claw, and to fight for the Darkness until your dying breath," Flame finished, looking suspiciously into the eye sockets of the mask that shone like a full moon on a clear night sky. The mask betrayed no emotion. What he said next, however, caught Flame off-guard. "The penalty for breaking any of the Tenets is death. Why, then, did you break them?" Flame stared open-mouthed at the passive figure. "W-w-what d-do you m-mean?" He asked. The figure was silent for a moment. "When you had the Black Dragoness surrounded, drained of energy, and unguarded, while all the others leaned forward, as predators finding injured prey, you reacted as though you found it repulsive, like a carcass many weeks old. You convinced your comrades not to kill her outright. You showed mercy." Flame's jaw dropped. How had this figure read his mind so clearly?

For a few moments, they were both silent, each gazing at the other. Slowly, Flame relaxed, deciding that running or fighting would end with him dying. "They're dead, aren't they," he said, "All the other assassins, I mean." The figure nodded. Flame let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding. He didn't miss any of them; in fact, he was glad they were dead. They were monsters who would do anything to get what they wanted; let them burn in Hell with Malefor. He looked up. "Why not me? Why are you letting me live?" Was that a sigh coming from the figure? "You walk with those consumed by darkness, yet your light still shines bright. Fires burn within you; they are hidden, but they are there. The shadows hide you and caress you as if you were a precious gem. Do not worry about the path you currently travel, for you shall soon part from it. Follow your light, Flame, and trust the shadows. When the hidden fire comes forth, your shadow shall be cast across the land. Only you shall decide whether it be the shadow of a loving protector or a pall of pain and terror." Flame shook his head. Those words rang in his head, resonating with meaning. A something told him that they were important, but he didn't understand most of what the shadowy figure had said.

"You must leave now," the figure suddenly said, breaking Flame from his reverie. "Time is short, and you have a path to travel. Return to your Mistress by the path through the mountains to avoid being seen by the others. She will direct you on a path of murder and betrayal, but when you reach a crossroads, you can take the sideway, for your destiny is now your own." Flame glared at him incredulously. "I thought you said they were all dead."

Flame gasped and started to back away as the dark eye sockets of the mask pierced him with a steely glare. "They walk, they breathe, they think, and they see," he said with the voice of an icy gust across a frozen wasteland, "but I assure you, they are as surely dead as if they have already begun to rot."

Without another word, the strange messenger of the shadows stepped back, into the shadow of a tree… and Flame found himself alone in the forest.

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When Spyro reached the clearing where Adavir had stopped, he found that there were five other figures in the clearing as well. He approached with new caution; However, Adavir suddenly turned and gestured for Spyro to join them. Reluctantly, Spyro wandered out into the clearing. The other figures were now gathered around Adavir. Adavir grinned. "Spyro, I'd like to introduce you to C squad of the Advance Strike Force for the Resistance."

"C squad… Strike Force… huh?" Spyro stared quizzically at Adavir, who merely grinned. "You'll get used to military lingo. Anyways, I'd first like you to meet Frostbreeze, leader of C squad—By the way, a squad is a group of five to ten soldiers—and deadly with his sabers." Spyro examined Frostbreeze. He had the features and rich blue feathers of a blue-jay, wore armor the color of the first winter's frost, and had two sabers sheathed in his thick leather belt. Giving him a nod, he turned his attention to the next two. They both bore the yellow feathers and features of a Goldfinch, and were nearly identical. In fact, the only differences that Spyro could find were that one was rather feminine-looking. They both had several daggers sheathed in the straps that crossed their chests, and both wore identical baggy clothing that puffed out around every inch of their body. Nodding at them, Adavir said, "That's the Hip-hop pair, as we like to call them. Boombox is the one who can imitate any noise perfectly, and Majik Jak's the one with the fancy footwork." Spyro looked from one, to the other, then back again. He turned to Adavir, hopelessly confused. "Which is which?" Adavir shrugged. "I haven't got a clue." Turning to the next member of the squad, he said, "Now, this here is…"

"Ma' name's Heavy," The hulking figure intruded, with a Borderer's accent, "and ma' job is to blow shit up." Spyro examined this brash new member with interest. He had the features and dark red feathers of a Cardinal; resting beside him was what looked suspiciously similar to a catapult like the one he had helped fire against Malefor's forces shrunk down to a portable size. The thing still stood up to Heavy's shoulder, which was saying something, as Heavy had truly earned his name, standing half a head taller than even Adavir, and instead of a Dragon's head, the metal at the mouth was shaped to resemble a shrieking bird's head. Spyro grinned at the scowling soldier. "Well, that statement just about sums you up, doesn't it?" he commented. Heavy almost cracked a grin. "Tha's why I said it. Now go bother someone else; I'm gonna clean Jezebel." With that, he walked off to the edge of the clearing, plopped himself down, and began to clean the large… whatever-it-was that he carried. Turning away from him, Spyro was then introduced to the last member of the squad, Sarah. Sarah was the healer for the squad, and bore the features of a pigeon. She was a bit shy, not saying much, and soon left to gather her medicines and bandages. Having met the entire squad, Spyro then turned to Adavir. "So," he began, "What the heck is that thing Heavy's toting around?" Adavir grinned. "That's Jezebel, his pride and joy. Cannon like her are the weapon of choice in Heavy's flight. They're specially designed so that the user can focus their energy into firing a fireball that explodes on contact, a burst of flame, or… pretty much anything else of the sort. The only limits are your imagination and the amount of energy you have to burn." Spyro cast a curious glance toward Heavy, who appeared not to notice their conversation. "He named it?" "Yep." "Well, why'd he name it Jezebel?"

"Because she's evr'y bit as deadly as that auld bitch was," Heavy called. Spyro turned to face him. Heavy never looked up from his labors. "We need ta head out soon, Adavir," Heavy commented. "We taking the extra baggage wi' us?" Adavir chuckled. "Yes, he's coming with us." Spyro took a moment to realize that they were talking about him. "Who you calling extra baggage?" he snarled at Heavy. "You," Heavy snorted. Spyro smirked. "Do you not know who I am? I'm…"

"Some rod-up-his-arse dipshit high on 'is own piss who'll probably not be worth a damn when the actual fightin' starts!" Heavy exploded. Stalking up to Spyro, he pressed his face close to Spyro's, glaring walls of fire. "Shits like you are a dime a dozen on these worlds. Ye're all convinced ye're the best of the bloody best. Well, let me tell ya something, sonny, ye're gonna end up just like the rest o' them; either jabbering nonsense in a corner somewhere or smeared all over the ground. Either way, I ain't cleaning the mess up." With that, he turned and leaped into the air, his powerful wing unfurling in a flash of red and sending a wave of wind slamming into the ground as he took to the skies, Jezebel gripped loosely against his chest.

Spyro shook his head, noting that the rest of the squad was already airborne, and Heavy was following the group, meaning he hadn't merely walked out of the conversation to annoy him. Still… he turned to Adavir, who was the only one still in the clearing besides Spyro. "What's his problem?" he asked. Adavir's face radiated concern. "I'll explain later. For now, let's just say that not all those who've claimed to be great heroes lived up to their supposed reputation." With that, Adavir took to the skies as well.

Spyro groaned, his wings beginning to ache just from the thought of having to fly again. _I hope we don't have far to go_, he thought to himself as he, too, took to the air and began to chase down the rest of the group.

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Terrador was on his way back to the Palace when a noisy commotion came to his attention. Going to investigate the source of the commotion, he found the sounds originating from the window of Dr. Professor's laboratory. As he came closer, he was able to identify the voices of the Professor, Elora, Hunter, and, quite suddenly, of Sparx. While he was unable to make out exactly what was being said, as there were also several mechanical noises and the occasional crash of something being knocked over, it was clear that Sparx, at least, was most definitely NOT enjoying whatever was happening. Suddenly, the window burst open, and Terrador found himself face-to-face with the bumbling Professor. "Is everything alright?" Terrador asked. Dr. Professor wheezed for a while, then managed, "No, no…nothing that…can't be…quickly…put to rights…" as the Professor continued to wheeze, having obviously been exerting himself, Sparx raced past in the background, screaming at the top of his lungs. Even as Terrador watched, a fireball flew past Sparx, missing him by inches; then Sparx was hidden by the wall again. As he continued to watch, several things that looked like training dummies made of metal and with cannon for arms rolled past on three-wheeled platforms where their legs should have been, chanting, "Destroy, Destroy, Destroy," in a metallic monotone. Terrador cast a puzzled glance at the professor, who had managed to catch his breath. "What on earth is going on in there?"

Dr. Professor gave an annoyed huff. "What's going on? That idiot of a lightbulb activated my Robo-sentry 2000 units, and managed to damage them to the point of me having to deactivate them manually, and not only that, but now he's managed to make them lock on to him as a target! I'm half-tempted to let them go ahead and get rid of the bumbling idiot!" There was an explosion, followed by several screams from an area that several dragons had recently been relocated to. Dr. Professor's face went pale. "Then again, we better get them shut down before any innocent standersby get hurt."

By the time they reached the area, several buildings were pocketed with smoking holes. Dragons, moles, and Cheetahs were running in every direction, trying to avoid the clanking machines as they chased the glowing ball of light, still chanting in the same monotonous tones. Sparx was continuing to scream for his mommy while fireballs whizzed past him, several missing by mere inches. Terrador was about to send a wave of Earth through the ranks of the machines when he felt a small hand tugging at his tail. He turned to the Professor, who was frowning at the Earth Guardian. "Do you have any idea how valuable those are?" he demanded. "It takes me nearly five days to fully assemble _one_! That there is the result of several weeks of hard labor that has only recently become operational!" "Well, I can't just let them destroy half the city," Terrador pointed out. As if to add emphasis, a fireball whizzed past his head and exploded against the palace walls, showering them in debris. "Just give us time," Hunter said as he and Elora ran up to the two. "We'll deactivate them quickly; just keep anyone from getting hurt!" Dr. Professor groaned. "You'll have to carry me, then. I'm the only one who knows how to shut them down, and I couldn't run another step. I hope…" He paused, noticing that something didn't seem quite right. The rest of them noticed it to. A moment later, Hunter realized what it was.

"Everything's quiet all of a sudden," he said. They turned to the Rampaging machines. All the machines were quiet, seemingly frozen in position. Sparx had propped himself up on a brick sticking out of a wall, panting. Dr. Professor's jaw dropped.

"Impossible," he muttered. "How could someone have shut them all down at once when their transmitters are broken?" "It was simple, really," a voice said. Once again, the group turned to face this new development. A Blue-green dragon was smiling at the professor, a pair of blue-lensed goggles resting on his forehead. He had four horns on the back of his head, like Cynder, but his snout was rounded, like Ignitus' snout had once been rounded, when that Guardian was still alive. His frame was obviously that of a male, but he had less muscle than Spyro, and seemed almost frail. A knapsack of some sort was strapped over his shoulder, and a small mechanical device was held in one paw. "You see, that's a Fire-wire trigger system, which would cross the wires for the Locoroller steering system," he explained, his tail swishing across the ground, the lightning bolt-shaped blade stirring up a thin trail of dust. "So all I had to do was send a signal that would overload the steering system, jamming the trigger system, which would cause them to go into standby mode. Easy." Terrador examined the dragon with interest. "What is your name, young one?" he asked. The dragon smiled. "I'm Gadget. If you're wondering what element I am, I'm sorta… one-of-a-kind." He quickly turned his head, hiding behind his dark green wings. "What do you mean by that?" Terrador asked. Gadget considered for a moment. "Well… I guess I've never met another dragon who couldn't control an element," he said slowly. Terrador was immediately sorry for pressing the young dragon. Dragons without elements were not unheard of, but they rarely had very happy lives. Hunter, however, had noticed that Gadget had had to think about his answer, making him believe that the young dragon was hiding something. Dr. Professor was practically drooling over this new-found prodigy. "Tell me, Gadget," he inquired, gazing hungrily at the young dragon, "Where did you learn so much about technology? Many who have studied their entire lives were unable to understand such systems, yet you seem to have already figured out ways to outsmart them." Gadget smiled at the Mole, who was covered in grease and soot. "You're an inventor? I thought me and my dad were the only ones. Well," He said quickly, wincing, "I thought I was the only one left." The Professor, however, had not immediately caught on to what was implied. "Oh, I assure you, there is a rather large community of inventors in the city of Warfang. Many have not yet returned to the craft, as of yet, but that is simply because there is other work to be… Oh. Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry," He stammered as he finally realized what the young dragon had been saying. "I'm just… It's so rare to come across one with such skill in this field that I… well, I wasn't really…" "It's okay," Gadget said, smiling at the antics of the hapless Professor.

There was a gust of wind as Pelinal glided in, making a perfect landing. "There were reports of shots being fired and explosions heard in this area. Care to explain what happened?" "Sparx ticked off a platoon of evil cyborgs, who then tried to kill him. Gadget here succeeded in shutting them down only moments ago," Elora explained. Pelinal examined the robots frozen in position and the numerous smoking craters in the walls. "Well, that would certainly explain it," she muttered. "Did they get the little bugger?" "Nope, though they came close on several occasions," Hunter commented. Pelinal snorted. "Pity. Maybe you should consider improving their aim, Professor. Make sure that they won't miss. Would save us a lot of trouble." "Though the idea of upgrading the targeting systems is one I will take to heart, I do not pursue it for the same reasons that you wish it," Dr. Professor chuckled. He turned to Gadget. "Tell me, Gadget, do you have a permanent residence yet? A job?" Gadget shook his head. "How would you like to be my assistant?" At this, Gadget's eyes widened. "REALLY? I'd love to!" "Excellent," Dr. Professor said. "Come with me, I'll give you the grand tour." The two disappeared into the Palace, Gadget's tail swishing happily. A sad smile appeared on Pelinal's face. "I hope they get to actually act upon their plans," she said sadly. Turning to Hunter, she said, "when you get the chance, tell them that I'd like for them to get these machines operational and patrolling the Palace Bastions as soon as possible. If they can come as close to hitting a target like Sparx as you say, then they'll make a valuable addition to the defenses." Hunter merely nodded, then walked after the two inventors.

Terrador looked at the immobile machines one last time. "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would see such crazy sights."

Pelinal laughed. "Hang on to your tail, Big Boy. This ride hasn't even left the platform."

**Okay, OCs all around. The plot thickens, and Sparx gets in trouble yet again.**

**What happens to Cynder and Sen-vu? Where is Adavir taking Spyro? When will this "army" arrive? Will Sparx ever get laid?**

**The answers to (Some) of these questions next time! Until then,**

**BEHOLD THE POWER OF CHEESE!**


	6. Chapter 6: Surprise and Diversion

**Chapter 6**

**Surprise and Diversion**

_No man ever comes out of combat an atheist, and anyone who claims otherwise has either never seen combat or is just a liar.—General Grevon_

Cynder and Sen-vu continued to weave their way through the mass of scorched trees. The blackened husks seemed to go on forever, stretching as far as they could see. Cynder soon became bored with the never-ending expanse of black, and turned to her traveling partner, examining him as she tried to think of something to talk about. After explaining about the Avian and how his people had been the first to actually listen to the warnings, thus becoming the first to not be completely overwhelmed, her partner had fallen silent. He now focused on weaving his way through the skeletons of ashen wood, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, as if he was preoccupied with something. She was curious about his explanation of the Shadow element to her, but that seemed to be a topic that might not be easy to get information on. He had explained about his early life to her, now… Her eyes fell on his belt. The twin katanas were tucked firmly into their sheaths, tied securely to his waist by the single piece of silken cloth that seemed to make up his entire belt. Several little bundles also hung from his belt, the silken expanse having been threaded through the rings that these bundles were attached to. She was surprised that she could sense the contents of some of them; she realized that her powers over poison might have something to do with it. Sure enough, when she focused, she could begin to make out what exactly was in the bundles. There was a pouch of… several different vials, each containing a different poison… several solid chunks of various food poisons… poisoned iron filings? She shook her head, deciding that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to inquire after why exactly he would carry such items on his person. It was then that she noticed something else. There it was, tucked into the back of his belt; something that looked like a small staff bent in half, with strange stripes that alternated between black and white, with a piece of gray sharkskin wrapped around near the bottom part of one half. "What's that?" she inquired, staring at the strange item.

Sen-vu's head jerked up. "Wha… oh, my yumi?" He reached behind his back and grabbed the grey handle; pulling it out of his belt and bending the two halves back together again in one smooth motion. Cynder watched as the strange item grew in size until it stood nearly as tall as the person holding it. He smirked at her. "Have you ever seen one before?" Cynder shook her head as she tried to figure out what it was for. Sen-vu gave her an interested look. "What are you thinking?" She shook her head again. "I'm trying to figure out what it's for," she admitted. "Frankly, I'm stumped. It _looks_ like a bow, but the grip's too low, and…" Sen-vu interrupted her by bursting into laughter. Cynder gaped at the chuckling character, and her eyes began to narrow. Before she could say anything, however, he managed to control himself, his chuckles slowly echoing through the barren forest. "Why do you say the grip's too low?" he inquired, barely suppressed laugher visible on his face. Cynder glared at him, annoyed by his amusement. "Well, let's see you draw it, then," she said sarcastically. He grinned, then whipped around, put the first two fingers of his left hand on the indented area just above where his right hand gripped the handle, lifted the bow over his head, and pulled it into position, a glowing white arrow materializing as he pulled back on an invisible string, aiming and drawing the bow in the same smooth motion. Lifting his right index finger, he released the invisible string, sending the bright arrow whistling into the blackened husk of a tree, the arrow exploding in a shower of light beams, soot, and debris, leaving a gaping hole in the trunk. Cynder's jaw dropped. It had taken the Shadow Warrior less than three seconds to get off a shot, while Hunter would be lucky to get an arrow off in five. Smirking, Sen-vu drew again, using the same strange technique. Another blackened trunk soon had a gaping hole drilled through its blackened frame, revealing only more layers of blackened wood at the center. Sen-vu began to walk forward again, every step as calm as if he were strolling down the street. Just as Cynder began to follow him, he stopped. Whirling, he began to draw yet again. "Really, Sen-vu," Cynder groaned, "Now you're just being…" her eyes widened, and she flinched, the burning white arrow passing inches over her head. Picking herself up, she breathed in, preparing to scold the warrior, when she heard a pained squeal behind her. She stared over her shoulder as the ape clutched at where his chest used to be, his comrades howling as they charged forward.

Sen-vu had already loosed another arrow and was drawing yet again, now aiming for the sky even as Cynder heard the unmistakable squeal of a dreadwing. "Ambush!" he yelled as he fired toward the sky, "Defend yourself!"

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"… And this is the Sleeping area, where your personal belongings will be kept," Dr. Professor said as he led Gadget through yet another room. "This will also be the place were we and any visiting scientists will be sleeping, so try not to make a mess." Gadget barely heard him as they continued on their way. He had finally found a place where his abilities would actually be welcomed, rather than a source of scorn and despise. He was surrounded by beings who would actually accept him for who he was, even though he didn't have an element like other dragons. _Well… _he thought to himself, _at least not a normal element. _Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind them. Hearing them too, Dr. Professor turned to see Hunter coming down the hall at a light jog. Seeing them, he waved and came to a stop next to them. "What is it, Hunter?" the Professor asked. "Pelinal would like for you and Gadget to get those Cyborgs working again and patrolling the bastions of the Palace as soon as you can," Hunter explained, not sounding winded at all. The Professor nodded. "We'll get right on it," he assured the cheetah, who merely nodded and ran back the way he had come. Turning to Gadget, the Professor said, "Alright, we'll need to stop by the Workshop to pick up some tools before we get to work on those Robo-sentries. Follow me." Gadget nodded and did just that.

A short time later, they came to a pair of doors that stood ajar, the insides coated with ash and soot. "Don't close them," the Professor cautioned Gadget, "The locking mechanism is jammed so that if they close, we'll be locked inside. I'd fix it, but there's never enough time…" he headed over to a row of shelves filled with different tools, rambling on without noticing that Gadget was no longer listening to him. Gadget focused on the lock on the door. He stared for a minute, then put his front paw on the lock and closed his eyes. Focusing, he sensed what was wrong with the lock. His paw began to glow a silvery blue as the pieces of the lock slowly started to rearrange themselves. The lock gave an audible click, and the glow slowly died away. Gadget turned, looking over his shoulder worriedly at the small scientist. The mole, however, was preoccupied with a few gadgets that looked something like monkey wrenches with screwdrivers attached to the handle. Sighing with relief, Gadget turned away from the door, wondering how long it would be before the Professor discovered that it was no longer broken. However, his attention soon fell on something in the corner of the room.

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Cynder sent a wave of shadow flames racing into the howling mass of Apes. To her right, Sen-vu was sending arrows into the dreadwings who circled overhead, squeals of agony often indicating that he had scored a hit. Cynder was startled by the sudden appearance of the Apes. _I thought they had all been turned into those skeleton servants of Malefor,_ she thought to herself. The screaming mass of bodies that seemed to pour through the trees, however, suggested otherwise. Suddenly, she heard a Dreadwing squeal, followed by a familiar whooshing sound. The Clay bomb crashed into the ground only a short ways to her left, sending a shockwave of ash, bodies, and blackened wood. More began to fall as Cynder continued to spread death through the ranks of the Apes. Plunging her tail blade into the chest of a particularly ugly ape, she turned her head slightly towards a much closer whistling sound, only to have the world explode in a cascade of bodies, blackened wood, and dust. Crashing into a tree, her sight became blurry as she struggled to regain her senses. A blurry mass entered her field of vision. Looking up, she saw the figure raise its arm high into the air, preparing to plunge its weapon into the black dragoness. Trying to make her limbs response, her vision cleared enough for her to see the ape give her an evil grin. His face suddenly contorted with pain as a blazing white arrow exploded in his chest, throwing him back several feet before his body fell to the ground. Turning, she saw Sen-vu draw his yumi again; this time, however, he twirled the wooden shaft as he drew. Aiming at the group of apes charging at him, he released the invisible string. Six black arrows flew up and away from him before twisting in mid-air, slamming into the apes in an explosion of shadow energy, killing most of the group and stunning the rest. Turning he began to shoot toward the skies again. "Keep the pests on the ground away from me, Cynder," he called to the black dragoness. "I'm going to clear us a place to fight." Giving him a quick nod, she took up a defensive stance in front of him, glaring at the approaching apes.

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"What's that?" Gadget asked the Professor, pointing at the strange contraption in the corner. The Professor turned to look where the young dragon was pointing. "Oh, that," he said. "That's the prototype to my Portal Generator. I'll describe the whole thing to you later, but now we need to get those Robo-sentries up and running again." With that, the little mole walked out the door, carrying an odd assortment of tools. Turning, Gadget looked back over his shoulder at the strange machine one last time before going after the Professor.

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Adavir suddenly realized that Spyro was no longer with the main group. Looking back, he saw the purple dragon limping through the air at an extremely slow speed. Flying up to Frostbreeze, he motioned toward the dragon with his thumb. Looking back, the squad leader examined the bedraggled figure, and then nodded. "Alright, men," he called out, "We're going to land in that clearing just ahead of us and make sure we're all ready for the coming fight. Follow me!" The formation of Avarians did as they were instructed to. Adavir heard Heavy mumble something about "dead weight dragging us down" and sighed. Smoothing things over between the Demolitions expert and the purple dragon wasn't going to be easy. Especially if the purple dragon was unable to make it to the city of Warfang.

Spyro groaned as he came to a stumbling landing in the clearing. His wings drooped, the muscles unable to even fold them properly. Adavir approached with a frown prominent on his features. "Why didn't you say anything about your wings being tired? We could've taken care of it earlier and saved you the trouble of nearly killing yourself to get here!" Spyro tried to shrug, but found his shoulder muscles wouldn't respond. "It's not worth worrying about," he said casually, trying to hide the obvious pain his wings were causing him. Adavir saw right through the act. "Not worth worrying about my ass," he barked. Reaching into the pack he was carrying, he pulled out a smooth grey oval. Spyro gasped as he sensed the amount of energy within it. "This is a Spirit Stone," Adavir explained calmly. "It contains the energy of the wind spirits of Avaria. It should be enough to repair any damage you've done to yourself, and make you hyper as hell to boot. Now hold still…" the stone began to glow as Adavir reached the hand that held it toward Spyro. Suddenly, the stone's energy burst from the stone and rushed into the purple dragon. Spyro gasped as he felt the immense energy overwhelm his senses. Adavir stepped back nervously, the stone hanging from mid-air as energy continued to stream from the stone into the purple dragon, who was also now hanging in the air. The dragon's eyes were now shining grey, and his scales were beginning to take on a slight grey tinge. "That's not supposed to happen," he heard Adavir mutter before the world disappeared and everything went white.

**Oh noes, what is going on here? Cynder and Sen-vu ambushed? Some weird magical mumbo-jumbo happening to Spyro? What will happen next?**

**Who knows the answers to these questions? ME! See what happens next when I get around to writing the next chapter! Till then, you're going to have to deal with the suspense.**

**Behold the power of CHEESE!!!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**New Power Revealed**

_Judge not by appearances; the smallest snake has the deadliest bite.—Shadow warrior proverb_

Spyro's senses slowly returned to him. Looking around, he found himself perched on a ledge in the middle of a series of canyons that seemed to stretch for as far as the eye could see. Everywhere was the whistle of winds winding their way through the paths of stone, carrying with them a bluish mist. The place had an almost spiritual feel to it, and Spyro suspected that he had been transported into a realm much like the Chronicler had transported him to the realm of Time. Suddenly, a tingling sensation ran through his body. He began to back away from the edge, sensing that he wasn't alone.

Even as he shrank back against the wall of the canyon, the mists that streamed through the canyon on the backs of the winds began to converge on him. Now completely on his guard, Spyro's eyes flicked from one direction to another. Slowly, the mists separated and coalesced, several vague figures beginning to form. Gradually, the mists formed hands, feet, legs, arms, wings, and faces. A few moments later, Spyro found himself surrounded by eight fully formed specters. They appeared to be Avarian, but they seemed more like the memories of Avarians, as if they had been formed into figures they could almost remember, but had almost forgotten over the ages.

As Spyro braced himself for a fight, the specters began to whisper with one another. The echoes of their voices rolled through the air, allowing Spyro to pick up on some of the words.

"Strange being… great power within…" "Dangerous… must be destroyed…" "Could be… possible salvation…" "Pure of heart… innocent, untainted…" "Destroy him… danger…" "May be worthy… fights the dark… maybe…" "… Maybe…" "…maybe…"

"H-hello?" Spyro ventured. "H-who are you? W-what do you want?" The specters immediately grew silent. Their transparent eyes focused on the shivering dragon before them. "Okay…" Spyro muttered to himself, "Not a good idea."

One of the specters drifted forward. Upon examining him, Spyro found that he had falcon characteristics like Adavir, except the beak was larger and more curved, with many scars crossing his heavy-browed features. His armor was grander than that which Adavir wore, yet seemed similar, like it had had various pieces added to the shoulders, arms, and legs, and was much brighter, with grey gemstones inserted at the center of the chest and the center of the shoulder and ankle pieces. Spyro broke from the examination as the specter began to speak.

"I was once known as Sydari Galescream," he intoned in a rumbling voice that echoed with power. "I was the founder of the Knights of the Silver Wing, who still guard our world. And we," he gestured at the other specters, "are the guardian spirits of Avaria. We are the winds in the skies, the storms at sea, and the echoes in the valleys. We are the life forces of all who have ceased to exist on the mortal plane. And you," he pointed at the purple dragon, his voice suddenly becoming more ominous, "are trespassing upon our domain."

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The ape howled as Cynder plunged her tail blade into his chest, his blood spurting out onto her, the dark red of his blood nearly disappearing on her crimson chest scales. Taking in a quick breath, she exhaled a wave of wind into the oncoming ranks, sending them flying. Behind her, Sen-vu continued to fire his arrows into apes and Dreadwings alike. However, he realized that the Black dragon was beginning to tire. They needed a clearing in which they could see their foes coming, and they needed it _now._ He began to focus his gaze onto the sky, firing a volley of dark arrows into the mass of apes without so much as a glance, too busy plotting the courses of the dreadwings who had yet to drop their bombs. After a brief moment of calculating, he leaped into action, firing arrows into dreadwings in seemingly random patterns.

Cynder was about to use her fear element when several clay bombs dropped in close proximity to their position. She crouched and closed her eyes tightly as the world became filled with flying debris and flames. Opening her eyes, she found the entire area in front of her for thirty yards completely obliterated, burned trunks of trees and ape attackers alike having been completely obliterated. Turning to check on her companion, she saw him leaping from tree trunk to tree trunk, climbing higher and higher, until he stopped on the top of one trunk that had been partially blasted away. As she watched, he began to glow black and white, black mists chasing radiant white rays of light, forming areas of grey where they met. Twirling his strange bow in intricate patterns around himself, he then raised the bow, drew in the same strange fashion, and shot a blazing white arrow straight up in the air, the arrow becoming like a ray of light. Just when it appeared the arrow would disappear from sight, it exploded in an array of black and white. As she watched, the cloud transformed into a multitude of black and white arrows, streaking out in every direction. Shouts of surprise soon mixed with squeals of agony, and the sky became filled with explosions of black and white. Her initial feelings of surprise and elation were soon replaced by shock and panic as she heard the air fill with the whistle of descending bombs. She began to look desperately for a way to avoid the descending harbingers of fiery death. Suddenly, she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist, tugging her tight to a chestplate of interlocking plates. Without further notice, Sen-vu turned and plunged into the shadow of a particularly thick trunk seconds before the area erupted in flames, wooden shards, and body parts. Apes screamed as the explosions killed everything in their path. Those who were not obliterated in the initial blasts were pierced with razor-sharp shards of wood, their blood staining the ground red even as the light in their eyes faded into darkness. A cloud of smoke and ash blotted out all light. Soon, the dead forest was silent once again.

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Adavir examined Spyro's unconscious body worriedly. It had been several minutes since he had tried to use the Spirit stone to restore Spyro's energy, and the purple dragon was now unconscious, his body limp on the dead leaves of the forest floor.

He turned as he heard Frostbreeze return to camp. He had set out on a scouting trip only moments ago; his quick return almost certainly meant trouble.

His fears were soon confirmed by the grizzled veteran. "We've got three dragons headed this way, along with two platoons of those ape-things. Judging by their looks and the way they seem to be searching for something, I highly doubt that they're friendly."

Heavy groaned loudly. "An' we're stuck like flies in honey thanks ta mister Sleepy there," he complained loudly. Frostbreeze glared at the hulking Cardinal. "I'll ask for your input when I want it," he said, glaring at the unrepentive grouch. "However, you are right about us being unable to change location with an incapitated soldier. Majik Jak! Boombox! Front and center!" The two bounded forward and came to an attention simultaneously. Frostbreeze turned to them. "I want you two to take that patrol away from the perimeter. Make sure that they do not find this camp." The two grinned. "Sir Yes sir!" they said in perfect unition. Turning, they took off in the direction in which Frostbreeze had indicated the patrol to be.

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"What do you mean, I'm trespassing?" Spyro asked Sydari. "I don't even know where I am or how I got here!"

A specter who had the features of a crow hissed. "I say kill it, before we have any more trouble," he hissed. Another specter, bearing a pigeon's features, turned to face the first. "Patience, Crowbeak," the specter cooed in a feminine voice, "there is yet time for him to prove himself." "Yes, he may be willing," another specter, this time a male Goldfinch spoke up. "If he is, then we will have another warrior to fight this plague, while if not…" "Bah, rubbish!" a Cardinal specter boomed. "The weaklin' shrinks away from us even now. What use could 'e be?" another Cardinal specter turned to his comrade. "He would be a fool not to fear us, old chap," he mentioned in a clipped, casual manner. "After all, we _are _spirits with the power to rip him limb from limb with a wave of the hand, wot-wot?"

"SILENCE!!!" Sydari roared. The specters instantly fell silent. He turned back to Spyro. "Now tell us, trespasser, how exactly you came to be in our realm."

Spyro groaned in exasperation. "I already told you, I don't know! Adavir…"

At the mention of Adavir's name, the specters burst into mutterings again. "I knew it!" the one who had been called Crowbeak cawed, flapping his ragged wings furiously. "He is with the Blood-spiller, the Desecrator, the…" "Control yourself!" the pigeon specter hissed. "He was blinded by youthful arrogance when those actions took place, and even then it was not purposeful…" "Purposeful or not, the deed was committed!" the first cardinal began, but was interrupted by his comrade. "Oh, pish-posh and rubbish! The poor lad merely slipped up a bit! Not reason to bally well condemn him to…"

"SILENCE! SILENCE!" Sydari roared once again. Again, the specters fell silent. He glared at his fellow specters. "The interrupt or speak out of turn will be dismissed from the proceedings and replaced by another from their flight. Is that clear?" There was some muttering, but none challenged him. Turning to Spyro again, he again began to question him. "What is your connection to Adavir?"

Spyro was thoroughly confused now. "I don't know! He saved me from some group of psychos who wanted to kill me, said that my world was about to be invaded by some dark army following some Sorceress, took me to a group of other Avarians, as they called themselves, tried to restore some of my energy with a Spirit stone or something…"

Sydari raised his hand for Spyro to stop. Once again, the specters began to mutter among themselves. This time, however, none raised their voices to make a statement. "The use of the Stone explains how you were first connected to this realm, but the only way for you to have had your consciousness travel here is if you have the potential for great power. Now…"

Suddenly, the specters, including Sydari, started to come out of focus. The canyon seemed to blur, and the mists disappeared into a grey haze. A voice began to call out to Spyro.

"Spyro… Spyro…"

Spyro's jaw dropped. "I-I-Ignitus?" he breathed.

"Spyro, can you hear me?" he heard Ignitus call, the voice faint, as if coming from a distance, but still distinctive.

"Yes, Ignitus, I can hear you. How are you…?"

Before he could finish, the world started to come into focus. He began to make out the Realm of Time. Before the world could fully come into focus, however, it began to fade again. "Let him go, blast you," he heard Ignitus rumbling. "What's going on?" Spyro asked nervously.

"Spyro, how did these spirits get a hold of your conscience? I have never encountered the like… GAH, blast you! Release him!" the Canyon began to come into focus. "Stay strong, purple one," he heard Sydari call out, "This intruder shall soon be dealt with."

"No, stop!" Spyro cried out. The two worlds continued to fluctuate in and out of existence. Spyro felt his anxiety and frustration rise to the surface, bringing with it hidden power. "I said STOP!!!" he roared, a purple aura appearing around him.

Instantly, he found himself standing next to the pool of visions in the Realm of Time. The eight specters where standing in front of him, looking around in confusion. Seeing a flash of grey, Spyro turned his head slightly to see Ignitus standing next to the pool of visions, also appearing confused. His once-red scales were now grey, and the crystal the Chronicler had worn hung from his neck.

"IGNITUS!" Spyro roared happily, running up to the Guardian. He hugged Ignitus' thick leg tightly. "I thought you were dead, Ignitus. The Ring of Fire…"

Ignitus stroked Spyro's neck reassuringly. "Oh, I am very much alive, young dragon," he reassured him. Spyro looked up at him. "Wait, we're in the Realm of Time. That means the Chronicler must be around." Spyro turned and yelled into the empty space high above. "All right, come out, Chronicler," he yelled.

He heard Ignitus chuckle. "But, young dragon," he chuckled good-naturedly, "Weren't you just hugging me?" Spyro turned to face Ignitus, his jaw hanging open. Ignitus was grinning widely. "You're the Chronicler now?" Spyro asked. Ignitus nodded. "I was selected as being worthy of Chronicling this new age, as the old Chronicler had grown weary of his duties, and chose to pass the position on to me." He turned and growled at the Specters, who were now eyeing them both intently. "However, now is not the right time for a reunion."

Spyro turned to face the Specters. "Okay," he asked them, "What do you want with me? Why can't you leave me alone?"

Sydari stepped forward. "You Intruded into the Realm of the Spirits of Avaria. It is you who trespassed upon us." "I didn't mean to! I don't even know how I did it in the first place."

The female pigeon stepped forward. "We mean you no harm, little one," she cooed softly. "We merely sought to protect our realm from any evil that may have sought entrance. Still, only those who have great power can enter our realm, and it usually requires great concentration. A few, such as Adavir, are exceptions…"

"An exception that should never have been made," Crowbeak cawed. "I say…" "Oh, boils and bifflenuts, old boy, you always see the worst of the situation," One of the Cardinals piped up. "Got to learn to look on the bally bright side, if you ask me. Silver lining an all that, wot?"

"Well, I am the Chronicler, Charged with Chronicling the events of the world for this age and defending the realms of Time," Ignitus stated. "Spyro is the Purple dragon of Legend, and a very influential force in the world. As such, he is my ward, and I will defend him from whatever you are trying to do."

Sydari raised his hand. "Peace, guardian. Please, if we may converse…" Ignitus nodded slowly, and then closed his eyes, appearing to concentrate. Sydari did the same. For several moments, neither of them moved. Spyro watched with curious eyes. After a few moments, they both opened their eyes and blinked. Sydari looked at Spyro with new-found respect.

"An interesting tale, Guardian," he rumbled. Turning to his comrades, he again closed his eyes, sharing the information he had obtained with them. This time was much quicker. The specters began to mutter as soon as the process was complete, eyeing Spyro with sudden interest. Sydari turned to the other specters.

"I propose we aid this dragon by teaching him the ways of Wind," he boomed. Instantly, the specters began to erupt with arguments, agreements, and incomprehensible speeches. Sydari made them fall silent by raising his hand. The specters instantly quieted. "Now, I know that this is rare…"

"It is unheard of!" Crowbeak snapped. "The very thought…"

"Still," one of the cardinals boomed, "'e might be useful. 'E seems like an alright fellow, seein' as he saved his world from destruction." His comrade nodded. "Right you are, old gum. The Chap seems like a decent sort. I say we do it!"

There was a chorus of "Ayes" and "Agreed." Crowbeak's "Nay" was drowned out and overwhelmed. "Very well, then," Sydari said. "It shall be done." He turned to Ignitus quickly. "With your consent of course."

Ignitus eyed him. "What are you planning to do with him?" Sydari sent a quick mental summary of what would be done. Ignitus considered, and then nodded. "I consent. Spyro, do not worry. Sydari is merely going to help you unlock a new element." Spyro sighed. "All right, then," he said, eyeing Sydari, "If you trust them."

Sydari nodded, and then started to concentrate. Spyro felt a strong wind tug at his body. He had to close his eyes to shield them from the stinging wind. When his eyes reopened he found himself standing on the edge of a cliff.

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"You idiot! You've gone and gotten us lost!" Cya hissed at her comrade, who hissed back. "You're the idiot who thought you saw a group of something flying! For all we know, it was a flock of birds." Many of the apes grumbled in agreement. Cya glared at them, her temper rising. "Well, Dystor, you're the one who decided to approach on the ground, rather that taking to the skies!" The Ice dragoness glared at the blood-red Fear dragon male, waiting for him to decide on a comeback. Unfortunately for her, she hadn't thought her argument through.

"If we took to the skies, the Apes would have been left behind," Dystor retorted. "We would've been outnumbered if it had been a group of enemy soldiers, which it wasn't." "Yes," the Ape leader grumbled, "and we should be looking for any signs of the purple dragon escaping the Assassins, unlikely though it may be." Cya was about to snap at the ape when their third companion, a dark green Poison dragoness, stepped in.

"Cut it out, you guys," she hissed. "If it's something, then they'll probably hear us. If it's nothing, than arguing about it won't solve anything." Satisfied that she had ended the debate, she turned, only to see a flash of yellow. "What was that?" she said, tensing. Suddenly, noises began to come from the woods.

"Sexy Can I!" came what sounded like several deep-voiced men, followed by several strange sounds, forming a strange melody.

"What's that?" Cya growled, also tensing up. Suddenly, two yellow Avians came into view. One had its hands over its beak; the other was walking in a dip-slide motion. Before the befuddled dragons and apes could react, the dip-sliding Avian began to dance as the other began to sing, the dancer making the daggers in his hand flash in short bursts of light.

_Sexy can I? Just pardon my manners/ Girl, how you shake it, gotta play it like (OH)/ It's a Kodak moment, let me go an' get my camera/ all I wanna know is Sexy can I?_

_Sexy, can I, hit it from the front? / Can I hit it from the back? Know you like it like that./ Then we take it to the bed, then we take it to the floor/ gonna chill for a second, then we're back at it some more_

The dragons' and apes' jaws dropped. What the hell did these two think they were doing? Suddenly, the pair stopped singing and dancing. "We love you, New York!" the dancer yelled, throwing his fists to the sky. Then they both turned and took off through the forest, laughing manically.

It took the group a few moments for the events of the past few moments to sink in, then Cya roared, "After them!"

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Frostbreeze and Adavir watched as the Apes and dragons took off after the troublesome duo, doing everything they could not to crack up at the antics of the pair as they led them away from the hidden camp.

"I don't think that they're going to be a problem anymore," Adavir chuckled. Frostbreeze chuckled with him. "Come on, we better leave before we wind up giving away our position." With that, they both headed back toward the camp.

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Spyro was facing out from the ledge, watching a strange spectacle unfold. Two winds were blowing toward each other at high speed. They met with a resounding crash, both straining against the other for dominance.

"A foreboding spectacle, is it not?" Sydari's voice echoed through Spyro's head. Looking to either side, Spyro was unable to find Sydari. "Do not look for me, for I will not appear. I do not require a physical form for this." Nodding, Spyro turned back to the two clashing winds. Sydari's voice continued to echo through his head. "Wherever you go, there are forces such as this; energies in conflict, fighting for supremacy. If left unchecked, the effects can be catastrophic. Winds are especially subject to this. A slight breeze, when meeting another slight breeze, can be the beginning of a huge storm." As he spoke, the winds seemed to swell, appearing ready to explode. "However, the winds will always release this energy over time, thanks to the guidance of the Creators. Observe."

As he spoke, the winds began to swirl, spinning faster and faster, until the entire area was engulfed by a raging hurricane. Spyro had to dig his claws into the rocks, hanging on for dear life as the winds tried to pull him to his death. Just as suddenly as the storm began, it disappeared.

"Winds clash, creating immense destructive force," Sydari said. "When you are done, you will be able to create and guide this power. Now, focus. Reach out. The power comes not from within, as your other powers do, but from without. Feel the air around you, and reach out and touch it." Spyro concentrated. Sure enough, he began to feel the slight breezes around him, the soft touch of a breath of wind. "Good," Sydari complimented. "Now, bring them together. Focus them. Create the maelstrom, waiting to be unleashed. Concentrate!" Winds began to swirl around Spyro, lifting him off the ground. "Focus it, contain it into the smallest point you can!" Spyro was now hovering in midair, his feet off the ground, wings outspread. "Trap the energy until you can contain it no more, then unleash the fury of the Raging Tempest!"

With a roar Spyro released the energy he had been trapping. A great wall of wind swirled around him, quickly spreading outward. Amazed at the amount of power he was using, Spyro fueled the Tempest even more. The winds expanded further, increasing in strength, turning into a full-fledged hurricane. Suddenly, Spyro found himself fighting to stay in place. In a panic, he severed the connection, but it was too late. The Storm continued to grow, feeding on its own energy now, and Spyro was picked up and thrown through the air, being pulled faster and faster by the winds, feeling himself being slowly torn apart. His screams of agony were drowned out by the howl of the Tempest he had summoned, his limbs torn from his body and thrown in all directions before the pain proved too much and the world went dark.

When he awoke, he was back in the realm of Time, next to the pool of visions. Feeling himself all over, he was relieved to find his limbs intact.

"That was the first and most important lesson on your journey to using the Raging Tempest," Sydari said from across the pool. "You can create and guide the energy of the Raging Tempest, but you must be cautious as to what you create, as you may not be able to control that which you create." Spyro nodded, the lesson as clear as it could possibly be. "Now, young dragon," Ignitus said, appearing behind Sydari, "You must prove your ability to use this element without killing yourself. I believe you know where the Training dummies are."

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When the smoke cleared, the area was barren except for four burned husks of trees in the very center. The Shadow of one of these trees began to darken, when suddenly Sen-vu and Cynder burst out. Setting Cynder down, Sen-vu began to scan the edges of the clearing he had created. Cynder scanned the skies, only to find that Sen-vu had been very thorough with that last move, as not a single dreadwing was in sight. Dropping her gaze, she immediately tensed.

Apes began to file through the gaps in the trees, stopping just inside the clearing. The clearing was soon surrounded by Apes. They stared at the two figures in the middle of the clearing, their eyes burning with hate.

Slowly, Sen-vu folded up his yumi, the bow shrinking back to its original small size. Tucking it into his belt, he winked at Cynder, then did what, if you had asked Cynder, was the stupidest thing of all time.

Drawing one katana, he flicked his wrist, throwing the blade into one of the burnt-out trunks. Grabbing his belt, he proceeded to undo his belt, revealing two different expanses of silken materiel. He separated the one that held all his equipment and one that was bare, and proceeded to wrap the barren one around the wrist of his right hand. Tossing the other belt up, he wrapped the belt that held his right hand and wrapped it around his waist, forcing his right hand firmly into his back. Reaching upward, he grabbed the handle of his second katana and twirled it fancifully, making the belt perform acrobatic loops and turns before flicking his wrist, sending the belt wrapping itself around the handle of the Katana in the tree, unsheathing the second Katana. Turning to face the Apes, he held the katana hanging leisurely over his shoulder. "You want me?" he taunted the Apes. "Come and get me."

Cynder stared at him. Surely he wasn't stupid enough to go into a fight like this with one hand tied behind his back? Yet he made no move to change his situation as one brave ape charged at him, howling as he held his hammer high. It took the ape several moments to cross the clearing, yet Sen-vu remained unmoving the entire time. Finally, with a howl of triumph, the ape brought his hammer slamming down on Sen-vu's head. Sen-vu flew backwards, landed on one foot, spun, and assumed the same position he had been in.

"You have landed the first blow," he commented, seemingly oblivious to the mass of apes that was now charging into the clearing. "Well done."

Roaring in triumph, the ape charged and swung again. This time, however, as the hammer descended toward Sen-vu's head, he switched all of his weight to his left foot, swinging his right foot behind him. The ape had a look of surprise on his face as his hammer missed Sen-vu's face by inches. He never saw the katana that flashed down and severed his head and right arm.

Cynder was unable to watch Sen-vu any longer as she found herself fighting for survival. Her tail blade slashed one ape's throat while she sent a wave of Shadow fire burning through the screaming ranks. The apes unfortunate enough to be caught in the way of the flames found themselves coated in the black flames, screaming as their flesh was burned away. Whirling, she sank her claws into another ape, her tail continuing to cut down as many as possible, while she wove her way through the apes, slicing open throats, tearing with her claws, ripping with her teeth. Pausing for a moment, she sent a wave of Fear crashing through the Apes, causing them to run around in a panic, swinging at anything that came near, which usually meant other apes. Suddenly, she felt something slam into her gut. Rolling on the ground, she sprang to her feet, only to find an ape standing over her, his axe held high, a look of triumph in his eyes. Cynder tried desperately to regain her wind, knowing that it would be too late, that this was her time to die… suddenly, Sen-vu slid out from under her, startling her, as she hadn't felt him slide under her. Bringing one foot down, his slide became transformed into a leap as his Katana flashed upward, slicing the surprised ape in half. Carrying the momentum, he leapt into the ranks of apes, his Katana flashing through the air as apes screamed in terror before finding their throats slashed, their heads severed, or their chest sliced open. Several tried to hit the agile Shadow warrior, but he moved to quickly for the apes to follow. Finally, one ape managed to slam his mace into Sen-vu's chest. Sen-vu flew backward, and then disappeared in a flurry of black and gray. A line of light seemed to weave its way through the nearby apes, faster than the eye could follow. The ape who landed the blow was just finishing the arc when his head parted ways with his body. Whirling, Sen-vu slashed his way through a small formation of apes. One lucky ape landed a downward slice, and then blinked, looking for the lithe figure he had just hit, when suddenly three arcs of light appeared on his torso. The head of the ape that had landed the second blow hit the ground as the torso of the ape that landed the third divided itself into four parts. Sen-vu turned from his unfortunate victim and began to slice his way through the ranks of the apes again. In a few moments, only a small band of thirty apes remained in the clearing.

Cynder could only watch in amazement as Sen-vu whirled through this small group. Slicing up, slicing down, sliding slash, uppercut! Turning, he brought his blade flashing down on the neck of another ape even as he sidestepped the ape's downward swipe. Carrying the momentum, he split open the chest cavity of another ape, sending dark red blood splattering everywhere. Dropping, he made a sliding swipe at waist level, cutting three apes in half. Transferring the momentum into a leap, he sliced another ape from the bottom of the ribs to the opposite shoulder. An ape landed a sideswipe with an axe on Sen-vu's shoulder. The Shadow warrior accepted the blow expertly, travelling with the momentum of the swing, letting the weapon slide off of his armor, and carrying the momentum into an uppercut, followed by a downward swipe, a slash at waist level! Another blow to the waist propelled him into a cluster of eight apes. Transferring the momentum, he spun through the group, ricocheting from ape to ape, his Katana carving a bloody swath. When he was hit, he would transfer the momentum of the attack, so that instead of being harmed, the blows that did land only helped him kill faster. Another downward swipe landed. He followed the momentum, using it to slide under the legs of the ape that landed it. The look of surprise on the ape's face became frozen in place as he sliced the ape in half at chest level. Turning, he sliced down on the neck of another ape, slid his foot back, slashed an ape's chest open, and made a sliding slash that finished three more, uppercut another, slice across the neck, sheath the blade in another ape's chest, piercing the heart and lungs!

The ape gurgled as Sen-vu unsheathed his blade from the ape's chest, falling slowly to the ground. The clearing was filled with still ape corpses. Cynder had never gotten the chance to do anything after his save. The clearing was still surrounded by apes, but they now regarded Sen-vu with fear, several fidgeting and muttering to themselves. Suddenly, Cynder was bowled over by a flash of blood-red scales.

Sen-vu regarded the Fear dragon who now held his claws pressed against Cynder's neck. "I believe I win," the dragon hissed triumphantly. Saying nothing, Sen-vu unwound his right hand and held it out, quietly observing the eight other dragons who had just appeared in the clearing.

The Fear dragon hissed. "Make one more move and she di…" the hilt of Sen-vu's katana slammed into the back of the dragon's head. He lost his grip on Cynder and reached for his head, only to have Cynder head-butt his jaw hard. Growling, he prepared to slice her throat, when Sen-vu went into action.

As the hilt of his second Katana flashed into his empty right hand, Sen-vu wrapped his belt around his waist once more, and then leapt for the nearest dragon, and earth dragon only a few feet away from him. Slamming into the dragon, he rebounded toward the fear dragon. The Fear dragon's claws were just beginning to slice upwards when Sen-vu slammed into his side, bringing his Katanas into a flurry of slashes. The only thing that saved the dragon from instant death was the armor-like nature of his scales. However, even they were not enough to fully protect him.

Cynder watched as the Fear dragon screamed, clutching the stump where his arm used to be, while several red lines began to appear, nearly invisible against his blood-red scales. As the dragon struggled to its feet, Sen-vu smirked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that last part," he taunted. "Would you care to repeat it?"

The Fear dragon growled. "YOU WILL DIE!!!" he roared.

Sen-vu's face fell. "What is it with you guys and your obsession with that phrase? Of course I'm going to die; everybody dies!" The dragon's face began to turn a dark purple from rage. "I'M GOING TO TEAR YOUR HEART OUT AND EAT IT!!!" he roared. "I'LL GUT YOU LIKE A FISH AND LISTEN TO YOU SCREAM!!!"

Sen-vu put on an interested look. "You really think so?" he inquired politely. "Well…" he twirled his two katanas and crossed them in front of his face, white energy sparking outward when they touched. He smirked. "Good luck with that."

**MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!**

**Cliffies! I love cliffies!**

**Anyways, chapter in review: Spyro unlocks a new element, The Hip-Hop pair give a taste of how annoying they can be, and Sen-vu kicks ass! Great chapter, if I do say so myself! And I do; I've really been wanting to write this chapter since I started this story. Longest chapter to date, really.**

**Until next time,**

**Behold the Power of CHEESE!!!**


	8. Chapter 8: Glimpse of the Past

**Chapter 8**

**Glimpse of the Past**

_The answers of the future lie in the questions of the past._

Gadget sighed as he fiddled with the robot's inner wiring. Doing it by hand was much too slow, but he didn't want to risk giving away his secret. _But, maybe if I…_ he turned to look at the Professor, who was working on another robot. The Professor was completely absorbed in his work; the world could have been crumbling around him, and he probably wouldn't have noticed. Chuckling to himself, Gadget quickly glanced around to make sure that they were alone. Luckily, the populace had decided to steer clear of the area after the little rampage Sparx had led the robots on. With a final glance at the Professor, Gadget turned to the three robots in front of him, closed his eyes, and began to concentrate. He began to glow silvery blue, with silver lines beginning to appear on his limbs and forehead as he channeled his energy, the lines slowly forming a lightning symbol on his head and Circuit symbols on his legs, running from the bottom of his feet up to his knees. (A/N: Circuit symbols are those symbols that look like half of a lightning symbol, ending with a circle.) The three robots began to rattle, shaking like they were in the middle of an earthquake. The rattling became stronger and stronger as the wires and gears began to rearrange themselves from the inside out. Then, with a series of clanks and beeps, the robots activated. Opening their eyes, they began to look around, as if wondering where the yellow dragonfly had disappeared to.

"Command code Alpha." All the robots froze as they heard Gadget speak. He was no longer glowing, and the symbols on his legs had disappeared again, but the lightning symbol on his forehead remained, though it no longer glowed. "Wipe last target input. Switch to friendly input," he continued. "Affirmative," the robots said in their metallic voices. Gadget continued to recite the coding that would have them do what they wanted them to do.

"Input new primary objective: defend palace. Input new destination: palace bastions, area codes 35u, 26t, 15q. End input."

"Analyzing… new primary objective loaded. New destination loaded. Proceeding to destination."

With that, the robots trundled off toward the palace walls. Gadget breathed a sigh of relief as he watched them go. Those were the last three that he had to fix; now maybe the Professor would let him go settle in.

"Um… Professor? Sir?" Gadget asked, walking up to the mole, who was muttering to himself as he fiddled with the wirings of the robot. "Hm?" he asked, not turning around. Gadget gulped.

"Um, sir, I'm done. May… May I go get settled in?" The Professor turned to glare at Gadget. "Gadget, you know very well that you have…" his words died as he gawked at the three robots that were now entering the palace. "Um, yes, yes you may. Please, make yourself at home."

Gadget beamed. "Thanks, Professor!" he turned and dashed into the palace. _Nows my chance…_

The Professor scratched his head. "How did he finish so quickly?"

* * *

Spyro walked onto the platform filled with clay statues. He knew that in a few moments, those statues would come to life and attack him, and he needed to defend himself with his new element, Raging Tempest. As he took up a fighting stance, Ignitus began to speak.

"Well, young dragon, it is time to test your grasp of the Raging Tempest magic. Now, I know little of this magic, so I will defer to Sydari for this combat test." The spectral Avian nodded, and then turned to Spyro.

"Remember, Spyro, the way of the Raging Tempest is all about balance. Do not let yourself be overwhelmed by being too sparing in your use of it, yet you have already experienced what can happen when you use too much. Remember that; the rest can only come through experience. Begin."

With that, the statues came to life. They looked around a bit, and then started to move towards Spyro as they detected him. Spyro waited until the group he was watching from the corner of his eye got close enough, then struck. Leaping towards them, he made a wall of wind around himself, then sent a blast of wind out behind him, sending him corkscrewing wildly through the clay statues. They were caught unprepared and knocked in every direction, a few going over the side of the platform. Turning, Spyro spun in an upward swing, slamming his tail into a clay statue that was falling toward him. The burst of wind sent the statue slamming into a small cluster of statues, sending an explosion of clay shards and dust in every direction. Facing the remainder of the statues, Spyro unleashed a small hurricane inside the group. As the statues were sucked in one by one, Spyro continued to channel energy into the hurricane, making sure it was only enough to sustain the storm. Once all the statues were spinning wildly through the maelstrom, Spyro let himself get pulled into the hurricane himself. This time, however, he was in complete control, using the force of the winds to slam into the helpless statues, sending them flying out from the swirling vortex in every direction. Reaching the center of the miniature hurricane, Spyro allowed himself to spin with the winds, going faster and faster… until he stopped himself, dispelling the hurricane in one giant blast of wind. Those statues that had survived until now where thrown off the edge of the platform by this sudden gust.

Sydari nodded. "Well done, dragon. That was an impressive display of both power and restraint thereof. There is no more you can learn in this place; as such, you should return to your own world."

"Just a minute," Ignitus interjected. "Spyro, come this way."

Spyro walked over to the two spiritual guardians. "Now, look into the Pool of Visions," Ignitus said. "I do not know what you will see, but I believe it may be important."

Spyro nodded, and then gazed into the still waters of the Pool of Visions. Almost instantly, his vision was clouded by darkness.

* * *

The Fear Dragon roared at Sen-vu's impudence. "Kill them!" he bellowed. "Kill…" his next words were cut off by a jet of Poison crashing into him.

Sen-vu turned to Cynder. "Thanks," he said, "that guy was beginning to get annoying." Any further discussion was cut short by a wave of Apes and dragons crashing down on them.

Cynder slammed her tail blade into the chest of an ape as she sent wall of Shadow fire into the screaming ranks. Pulling the blade out, she slashed another ape's throat as she dug her claws into the skulls of two more apes. Opening her maw, she let out a shriek that sent waves of red Fear energy crashing into the mass of fur and flesh. As she watched the apes begin to swing wildly, injuring many of their comrades, a fireball exploded on her side. The explosion threw her several feet, raising a cloud of dust when she landed. Jumping to her feet, she saw a Fire Dragoness grin impishly at her. Growling, Cynder sent a jet of poison towards the dragoness, but was almost immediately slammed into the ground by an earth dragon attacking from the side. Before she could get up, he drove his head into her side again and began to push. Cynder gasped as she felt the earth begin to push towards the earth dragon, who was apparently trying to crush her to death. Growling in indignation, she used her Shadow claw to scratch at his chest and neck. She was rewarded with a grunt of pain and the pressure disappearing. Leaping away, she turned to face the earth dragon, who was examining a series of bloody scratches on his chest. He shot her a glare of hatred.

"You're gonna pay for that," he growled, advancing toward her. Cynder suddenly realized that a large group of apes, as well as the fire dragoness from earlier and a lightning dragon, where now advancing toward her. Taking a step back, she found her foot meeting wood. She had nowhere to run, and she was pretty sure that she couldn't take this many opponents at once.

One of the apes in the back groaned and fell forward, his head rolling off of his shoulders as he did so. That was all the warning they had before Sen-vu began to even the odds.

Leaping into the startled mass of apes, his katanas began to cut a bloody path through their ranks, felling fifteen before they even had the chance to face him. He brought his katanas up in a bloody arc, one following the other, whirling and slashing and spinning as the apes fell like chaff before his unstoppable onslaught. Suddenly, the fire dragoness appeared, clamping her jaws down on Sen-vu's right arm.

_I must be crazy,_ Cynder thought, _but I could swear he just smiled. _And he was smiling as he released his left katana, brought his fist slamming into the fire dragoness's gut, and snatched his katana out of the air before it hit the ground, bringing it into an upward slice that beheaded an unfortunate ape. The Fire dragoness slammed into the ground and rolled for several feet, then started to pick herself up. She grinned as she licked the remainder of the blue liquid from her teeth. Her eyes widened, and her legs gave out from under her for no reason. Cynder, the earth dragon, the lightning dragon, and the apes stared as she started to writhe wildly on the ground, a scream of pure agony tearing out of her throat.

"What's the matter? Tummy not feeling so good?" everyone but the dragoness turned to Sen-vu. He was standing on a pile of ape bodies, smiling innocently as he rubbed his right arm, which was seeping the same blue fluid that had been on the Dragoness's lips. Then his face seemed to fall as he put on a show of having just remembered something. "Oh, did I forget to mention the fact that my blood is highly toxic to others? Oops, silly me." The dragoness was beginning to turn a sickly green as he spoke. A shriek of agony that caused Cynder to cover her ears and wince ripped its way from her lips. "Oh, don't worry, darling," Sen-vu admonished. "In a few minutes, you won't feel anything. You see," he continued, oblivious to her screams of agony, "the way our blood is toxic is that it breaks down the barriers in the stomach that usually keep the digestive juices in. As a result, those digestive fluids are then leaked into the bloodstream, where they are carried all over the body, causing your body to literally digest itself. It's a very colorful, if an… _excruciatingly _painful way to die. However, in a few moments, your brain will be completely digested, and you will no longer be able to feel pain. Silver lining to every cloud, eh?" the dragoness was now the same sickly green as a jet of poison. She no longer screamed, but continued to gurgle and rasp like a dying fish. Sen-vu absentmindedly stuck his finger up his nose, examined what he pulled out, and absentmindedly flicked it at a group of apes. The apes yelped and leapt back. Ignoring them, Sen-vu turned to Cynder and said, "the real show's gonna begin in three… Two… and, ah…"

There was a gurgling sound from the dying dragoness. The scales along her belly began to… bubble. Then, without warning, her stomach exploded, coating the ground around her with an array of brightly colored fluids. As Cynder watched in horror, the eyes of the dragoness began to dissolve, similar colored fluids leaking from her eyes and mouth.

The earth dragon let out a roar of rage. "YOU SADISTIC BASTARD!" he screamed, tears flowing from his eyes. "YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!" roaring, he threw himself into a ball of earth and barreled toward Sen-vu, who leaped nimbly out of the way. With that, attention left the now-dead dragoness, and the battle resumed.

* * *

Spyro struggled, feeling the Darkness close in on him from all sides, the pressure building as he was engulfed in Darkness. His breathing became ragged as he began to panic, his eyes rolling wildly as he searched for something, anything…

Slowly, forms began to appear in the darkness, flitting about like a thousand still pictures flickering on and off. Noises began to reach Spyro's ears; the ring of steel on steel, the clanking of iron chains, roars of triumph, screams of terror, words that came in no particular order. Slowly, oh so slowly, a single scene began to come into focus, like a mountain becomes clearer as you near it. Spyro peered into this image, trying to bring it into focus. Then, he found himself inside the scene; a specter unable to do anything but watch.

"…could have worked together, Adavir," an ominous figure taunted another figure in a booming voice. They were in a large room filled with various items of gold, silver, and various suits of armor. The floor was covered by a richly embroidered carpet covered in strange designs, occasionally showing a scene of battle, celebration, feasting, figures discussing various subjects known only to them, and various other scenes that Spyro did not have time to take in. a large window opened onto a sunlit day, overlooking a city that dwarfed even Warfang in size. To either side of the window was a bed made with sheets embroidered with silver designs like those on the carpet, the sheets themselves being a dark blue. The wooden supports were covered in intricate carvings that displayed many scenes that Spyro was unable to take in as his observations were interrupted.

"We could have worked together," the ominous figure repeated. Spyro tried to see his features, but the figure, though obviously Avian, was covered in writhing tendrils of darkness, wisps of the darkness puffing away from his body, only to dissipate upon going too far. "You could have had so much power," the figure continued, "and all you had to do was keep your mouth shut. The Dark Sorceress is very generous in her rewards. You had potential. She would have been glad to give you a very important post. We could even have ruled Avaria together. But you," he snarled, his tone growing dangerous, "you couldn't keep quiet. You couldn't help but alert the Council, allowing them the chance to have all of Avaria up in arms so that thousands who would have simply been converted will die!"

"You're a fool," Adavir snarled. It _was _Adavir, but Spyro couldn't help but notice that he looked younger, more innocent. His smooth facial feathers showed none of the wear the Adavir Spyro knew wore. He was facing the shadowy figure, a sword that Spyro did not recognize resting upon his shoulder. The blade was definitely not Galescream, and looked dangerously sharp. Adavir was in a defensive stance, staring down the Shadowy figure with his feet planted firmly, ready to swing into action at a moments notice. "You've become corrupted, blinded to what really is," he continued. "If you serve the Dark Sorceress, she'll steal your soul and use it to increase her own strength. You say that we would've simply been converted? Hah! That bitch would've twisted every last citizen of Avaria into a series of foul abominations even Hell would look upon in disgust! How could I not let the Council know of such impending danger?"

His opponent hissed. "You know nothing, Adavir," he snarled. "That bastard Shadow and his little whelping have twisted your mind. The Dark Sorceress is going to lead us on a journey of transcendence! We are going to build the foundations for a higher order! Think of it, Adavir, a universe united, no worlds being unconnected, no person living in ignorance! She is leading us on a glorious crusade to free the world!"

Adavir growled and shifted his feet. "Over my dead body."

The shadowy figure snorted. "Very well," he snarled as two large blades that emanated darkness appeared in his hands, "have it your way."

The two figures leaped at each other with a roar, and began to dance to a tune of ringing steel and roars of anger, a dance that one would not survive.

Suddenly the room began to blur; Adavir and his opponent became blurs of grey and black. As the figure blurred even more, Spyro suddenly made out a third figure rushing towards the two other blurs. He saw the grey blur get knocked back toward the red blur that was rushing toward him, saw the gray blur turn, and saw him slam something into the red blur. The world faded to complete darkness, Adavir's pain-filled cry the last sound Spyro heard.

"No!"

***blink**blink* okay, what just happened? Apparently, Spyro saw something from Adavir's past, and it looks like something less than child-appropriate happened. Who was that figure? Who was the red blur? Who, or what, is Gadget? Will Cynder and Sen-vu get out of this fight alive? Find out… when I decide to tell you! MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!**

**Hang on to your underwear, the next chapter's going to be a crazy one. How crazy? It involves dancing sumo wrestlers, King Arthur, the Killer Rabbit, and a lot of cheese!**

**BEHOLD THE POWER OF CHEESE!!!**


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